Dungeons & Dragons: Warlock shows off first gameplay footage, will be set in Ravenloft

Wizards of the Coast and Invoke Studios unveiled a first look at the gameplay of its upcoming video game Dungeons & Dragons: Warlock. The eight-minute video, which can be seen below shows the titular character Kaatri enter a small town and explore a subterranean cellar filled with undead and a beholder-kin of some kind. The video also shows off Kaatri's patron Tasha, who embues Kaatri with the ability to sense "Raw Magic." While the trailer doesn't explicitly mention the setting, a press release revealed that Kaatri is exploring Darkon, a Domain of Dread once ruled over by Azalin Rex. In more recent Ravenloft books, Azalin has disappeared and caused Darkon as a realm to start to crumble. As Castle Avernus is shown in gameplay not in a state of perpetual destruction, it appears that this game is set before Azalin's attempted escape from Ravenloft.



Invoke Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast and Warlock is one of Wizards' first forays into AAA video games. The studio was previously known as Tuque Games and developed Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, which was critically panned and performed poorly. However, it appears that the new Warlock game looks a lot more polished than its predecessor.

 

[Remathilis]

Not debating it, just curious. Why is it a smart move to have videogames set in D&D but not using D&D mechanics? It seems like it would have to bring in an audience larger than the audience it looses, and if they aren't into D&D mechanics is the D&D-setting enough to pull people in?

Because if I've learned anything, it's that D&D is defined by the fidelity to the Rules.

 

[Blue]

Because if I've learned anything, it's that D&D is defined by the fidelity to the Rules.

Good sound bite, but it doesn't address what was being discussed so it doesn't actually add anything.

The person said it was smart to have non-D&D mechanics in video games in a D&D world. The topic was why is this specifically a winning strategy, and a better one than having D&D rules in a D&D setting?

Also, since that was quoted in the message you responded to, that should have been known to you. Please be more careful in reading so that your responses can actually add to the ongoing conversation. Thanks.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Mod Note:

You were mostly OK until this coda:

Please be more careful in reading so that your responses can actually add to the ongoing conversation. Thanks.

C’mon, man! Stingers like that are always going to irritate instead of fostering civil conversation.

Do better.

 

[Tonguez]

So what Warlock spells and abilities is this character using?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

On the contrary; If the word "Ravenloft" was anywhere near the game's title I would've dropped it before it came out, I'm so sick of it as a setting at this point. The fact that it's actually in Darkon helps alleviate the sting of it being a backdoor Strahd game at least.

I think the number of people who would pick up a Ravenloft title versus the number of people who's specifically avoid it is tilted pretty strongly toward it bringing in more buyers.

 

[Chaltab]

On the contrary; If the word "Ravenloft" was anywhere near the game's title I would've dropped it before it came out, I'm so sick of it as a setting at this point. The fact that it's actually in Darkon helps alleviate the sting of it being a backdoor Strahd game at least.

What makes you think it will be a backdoor Strahd game? I wouldn't' be surprised if Strahd appears but if any Dark Lord is the big bad I have to imagine it's Azalin.

 

[M.L. Martin]

I would note that video games using D&D branding without D&D mechanics have something like 40 years of precedent--Heroes of the Lance and Dragonstrike from SSI, the Capcom beat-'em-ups from the 90s, etc.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I would note that video games using D&D branding without D&D mechanics have something like 40 years of precedent--Heroes of the Lance and Dragonstrike from SSI, the Capcom beat-'em-ups from the 90s, etc.

The Intellivision games from the 1980s as well.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What makes you think it will be a backdoor Strahd game? I wouldn't' be surprised if Strahd appears but if any Dark Lord is the big bad I have to imagine it's Azalin.

Big bad probably Tasha, although I dare say Azalin will feature too.

Strahd? Could appear, but there is nothing to indicate the game leaves Darkon at the moment.

 

[variant]

The game looks like an average action RPG, and in today's climate, I don't think an average action RPG will sell for the $60 or $70 they will try to get out of it. If it was some indie level RPG that was $30 with a low development budget, I think it could pass, but not as some triple A title.