Hey, Critters! The folks over at Critical Role are embarking on a new and exciting adventure. Their destination? The wondrous world of original game development and publishing!
A New Adventure
Today, Critical Role is launching their new publishing arm, Darrington Press, further driving home Critical Role’s dedication to the wonder and positivity that comes from storytelling. Darrington Press will feature games both inside and outside the land of Exandria, the world created by Darrington Press Creative Advisor, Critical Role’s Chief Creative Officer, and Game Master, Matthew Mercer.
Uk’otoa
Darrington Press has four games set to be released in 2021. Their first game Uk’otoa is set for a Q1 release. This flagship title features high stakes on the high Lucidian seas and a battle for life and death. It’s a tactical game of semi-cooperative card play as factions of sailors vie to be the last claimed by the raging sea leviathan Uk’otoa. As the ship slowly descends into the depths below you’ll have to run, push, and sacrifice others to win! Fans of Critical Role will know Uk’otoa as the ex-patron of warlock Fjord (played by Travis Willingham). Uk’otoa is suitable for ages 12+, is meant for 3-5 players, and consists of 30-45 minutes of gameplay. Uk’otoa is created by Jeb Havens (Burrows, Mother Sheep, You Don’t Know My Life!) with additional game design by Gabriel Hicks (Roll20, Paizo, Mythic Grove) art by Critter Hannah Friedrichs, Uk’otoa sculpt by Niklas Norman (Runewars, Imperial Assault, Fallout: The Board Game) and layout by Vee Hendro (Good Society: A Jane Austen RPG, Visigoths vs Mall Goths, and Lost Roads).
Going Forward
For Q2 Darrington Press has slated Critical Role Adventures. This game guides you through Exandria were you play as the up and coming adventurers Vox Machina (from Critical Role’s first campaign) and overcome treacherous challenges. The game is a cooperative legacy-lite campaign that uses a unique narrative mechanic for social and combat encounters.
In Q3 Syndicult is an original modern magic roleplaying game designed by Matthew Mercer in which mob families guard their secrets and battle for power on the city streets. Featuring a simple storytelling dice mechanic, Syndicult is a low magic world where all bets are off the table.
Lastly, in Q4 of 2021, we have Guardians of Matrimonia! Fight the monsters, save the party! Be the hero! This game is a cooperative card game where players have pre-built decks that are pitted against a deck of monsters (party crashers). If your deck runs out, everyone loses. But if you battle your way through the entire party crasher deck, everyone wins!
Into the Beyond
What can we expect going forward and what goes into making games? I got to ask Ivan Van Norman, the new head of Darrington Press who has been producing games and media for over 10 years as the co-owner of Hunters Entertainment (Alice is Missing, Altered Carbon, Outbreak: Undead), to see what this newest venture from Critical Role has in store.
Why was it important for Critical Role to expand into the land of game development and publishing?
Critical Role is all about storytelling, and Darrington Press allows Critical Role to bring that tangible, hands-on joy of telling stories to an even wider audience of board gamers, including people who may not have heard of Critical Role before. Darrington Press allows us to deliver these incredible stories and games directly into the hands of players.
Can you explain a little about the process of game development? How do you go from an idea to a fully realized concept being made into a playable game?
There are a lot of elements involved in game design. When you factor in art, writing, design, proofreading, playtesting, multiple materials, cost, logistics, and finally delivery, it’s a lot.
Also, every game is different: the process of putting together a book, such as a rulebook for an RPG, is very different than, say, a small box board game-like Uk’otoa. What I can say is that it starts with a good concept, extensive playtesting, then wrangling together all of the amazing creatives to help put together all of the components of the game and make sure they complement each other.
What can we expect beyond 2021?
We’ll be announcing that slate of releases sometime in 2021. We’re not short of ideas, that’s for sure! Save some surprises for then!
Storytelling and escapism are so powerful, especially now. What is the hope you have for people playing these games?
One of the reasons I love analog (board/card/RPG) gaming so much is that it reinforces our capacity to relate to each other as human beings. Even in these times when so many of us are remote, you still have a feeling of being with another person when playing board games and RPGs. Our hope is that people will use our games to find some respite and continue to stretch and exercise their imaginations and capacity for storytelling.
A Little Advice
And lastly, do you have any advice for someone looking to develop their own games at home?
Playtest! Don’t be afraid to get your game out there, and continue to learn from each game played. At the same time, know when it’s time to make it, and chase your dreams – be it selling it to a publisher (because running a business may not sound exciting to you), or starting your own game studio. Either way, do your research, be bold in your ideas, and just keep playing games!
As a newbie Dungeons and Dragons player, I’m excited to get my hands on a few of these games (Syndicult sounds particularly cool). Over quarantine, I’ve discovered the magic of role-playing games and the power they wield. Storytelling can be so wonderful, especially when you build that experience with other people and create something truly unique. Darrington Press is sure to be a positive force for storytelling in the years to come.
