Ruin Explorer
Legend
In a different thread I listed all the upcoming AAA/AA CRPGs or story-based RPGs that I was aware of, and thought it might be helpful/interesting to make a thread out of this so we could keep track of their progress and release dates and cancellations and so on. I've expanded the list to include ones coming out next year (which I previously excluded) and updated the list somewhat. I'll put links in where they're available, as well as the dev studio and any basic info we have. EDIT - Will only include JRPGs which are both pretty important and specifically requested - there are simply too many otherwise!
(If there's a way to turn Steam links and similar into affiliate links to benefit ENworld, let me know and I can do that)
Games in development:
Avowed - Release date 18 Feb 2025
Obsidian - Fantasy, first-person RPG set in Eora, the Pillars of Eternity setting.
The Outer Worlds 2 - In production
Obsidian - Sci-fi, probably first-person RPG continuing in the same universe as The Outer Worlds.
The Witcher 4 - In production
CDPR - Fantasy, continuing in the Witcher universe. Early discussion from CDPR suggested this will feature a new, player-customized PC from the lore-present but undetailed Lynx Witcher school.
Cyberpunk 2077 2 - Pre-production
CDPR - Sci-fi, continuing in the Cyberpunk 20XX universe. Nothing known except that the people behind Phantom Liberty are leading the CDPR sub-studio making it. Actual title unknown.
Mass Effect 5 - In production
BioWare - Sci-fi, continuing in the ME universe. We've had trailers and teasers suggesting this is a post-Destroy-ending take on Mass Effect, and featuring an older Liara, as well as images of fancy Spectre in a long coat (the job/role Shepard had).
"Excalibur" - Unclear, seems to be pre-production
Larian - The latest info from Swen is that the current main game Larian is working on is codenamed Excalibur. We don't know it'll be a CRPG or story-based RPG, but his previous comments have certainly hinted that it would be, and whilst the scope won't be bigger than BG3, it might be similar.
The Elder Scrolls 6 - In production
Bethesda Game Studios - All that is know was a very early teaser some years ago, and that this is now in full production at BGS. The 2018 teaser suggested that, as many people had already guessed, it would be set in Hammerfell and environs.
Owlcat CRPG 1 - In production
Owlcat - Owlcat themselves have said they are making a four games (!!!) and implied most were CRPGs, and clarified that the first one had a "new IP" but that none of them had "original" IPs - i.e. they're all licensed IPs. At least one is using Unreal Engine 5 and all will be fully voiced. Definitely not Pathfinder, Starfinder or World of Darkness, as they explicitly ruled those out in August 2024. I've only listed one until we have some more details.
Exodus - In production
Archetype Entertainment (WotC) - Sci-fi, an original IP with a no-warp-travel (but not hard SF) setting. It seems like Mass Effect will potentially be a large inspiration in terms of how the game actually plays.
Fable (reboot) - Release date "2025"
Playground Games - Fantasy, reboot of the Fable setting, a light-hearted somewhat fairy-tale-leaning setting with twee British elements.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - Release date "2025"
The Chinese Room - Urban fantasy, based on the current 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade, and only very loosely related to the much earlier Bloodlines game. Still a little unclear if this will actually get released given incredibly troubled development.
JRPGs by request
Dragonquest XII
Square Enix - Fantasy, will apparently have a "darker tone" and "more meaningful choices" which "change the fates" of the characters, which is interesting as indicates a sort of "Westernization". Both the original character designer (Akira Toriyama) and the composer (Koichi Sugiyama) are deceased so the look/sound may be pretty different too.
Cancelled games:
Casey Hudson-lead Sci-Fi RPG from Humanoid Origin
This is our first victim - between this thread and the previous one of a week or so ago, this upcoming RPG has been cancelled due to lack of funding. An even further-out Mac Walters-lead Sci-Fi RPG is also "paused", so people mad about Mass Effect 3's ending can dance a little jig if they like!
Speculative but seeming likely
Elden Ring 2 (or equivalent thereof) from FromSoft
Other CRPG or tactics RPG from Obsidian (possibly Josh Sawyer-made)
If you have updates on these or other upcoming AAA/AA CRPGs or story-based RPGs (action or otherwise), please post 'em, or if you have thoughts or questions about any of them. Can probably also discuss indie stuff but it's harder to keep track of because there's so much of it and it's so prone to going silent for years.
(If there's a way to turn Steam links and similar into affiliate links to benefit ENworld, let me know and I can do that)
Games in development:
Avowed - Release date 18 Feb 2025
Obsidian - Fantasy, first-person RPG set in Eora, the Pillars of Eternity setting.
The Outer Worlds 2 - In production
Obsidian - Sci-fi, probably first-person RPG continuing in the same universe as The Outer Worlds.
The Witcher 4 - In production
CDPR - Fantasy, continuing in the Witcher universe. Early discussion from CDPR suggested this will feature a new, player-customized PC from the lore-present but undetailed Lynx Witcher school.
Cyberpunk 2077 2 - Pre-production
CDPR - Sci-fi, continuing in the Cyberpunk 20XX universe. Nothing known except that the people behind Phantom Liberty are leading the CDPR sub-studio making it. Actual title unknown.
Mass Effect 5 - In production
BioWare - Sci-fi, continuing in the ME universe. We've had trailers and teasers suggesting this is a post-Destroy-ending take on Mass Effect, and featuring an older Liara, as well as images of fancy Spectre in a long coat (the job/role Shepard had).
"Excalibur" - Unclear, seems to be pre-production
Larian - The latest info from Swen is that the current main game Larian is working on is codenamed Excalibur. We don't know it'll be a CRPG or story-based RPG, but his previous comments have certainly hinted that it would be, and whilst the scope won't be bigger than BG3, it might be similar.
The Elder Scrolls 6 - In production
Bethesda Game Studios - All that is know was a very early teaser some years ago, and that this is now in full production at BGS. The 2018 teaser suggested that, as many people had already guessed, it would be set in Hammerfell and environs.
Owlcat CRPG 1 - In production
Owlcat - Owlcat themselves have said they are making a four games (!!!) and implied most were CRPGs, and clarified that the first one had a "new IP" but that none of them had "original" IPs - i.e. they're all licensed IPs. At least one is using Unreal Engine 5 and all will be fully voiced. Definitely not Pathfinder, Starfinder or World of Darkness, as they explicitly ruled those out in August 2024. I've only listed one until we have some more details.
Exodus - In production
Archetype Entertainment (WotC) - Sci-fi, an original IP with a no-warp-travel (but not hard SF) setting. It seems like Mass Effect will potentially be a large inspiration in terms of how the game actually plays.
Fable (reboot) - Release date "2025"
Playground Games - Fantasy, reboot of the Fable setting, a light-hearted somewhat fairy-tale-leaning setting with twee British elements.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - Release date "2025"
The Chinese Room - Urban fantasy, based on the current 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade, and only very loosely related to the much earlier Bloodlines game. Still a little unclear if this will actually get released given incredibly troubled development.
JRPGs by request
Dragonquest XII
Square Enix - Fantasy, will apparently have a "darker tone" and "more meaningful choices" which "change the fates" of the characters, which is interesting as indicates a sort of "Westernization". Both the original character designer (Akira Toriyama) and the composer (Koichi Sugiyama) are deceased so the look/sound may be pretty different too.
Cancelled games:
Casey Hudson-lead Sci-Fi RPG from Humanoid Origin
This is our first victim - between this thread and the previous one of a week or so ago, this upcoming RPG has been cancelled due to lack of funding. An even further-out Mac Walters-lead Sci-Fi RPG is also "paused", so people mad about Mass Effect 3's ending can dance a little jig if they like!
Speculative but seeming likely
Elden Ring 2 (or equivalent thereof) from FromSoft
Other CRPG or tactics RPG from Obsidian (possibly Josh Sawyer-made)
If you have updates on these or other upcoming AAA/AA CRPGs or story-based RPGs (action or otherwise), please post 'em, or if you have thoughts or questions about any of them. Can probably also discuss indie stuff but it's harder to keep track of because there's so much of it and it's so prone to going silent for years.
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