AI, in my tabletop RPG? Can we ever trust Hasbro with Dungeons & Dragons again? You may think you’re reading an old article, but no, we’re still having this discourse in September 2024. It’s all part of this week’s biggest stories in TTRPG news.
Over the last seven days, Hasbro’s CEO got excited to bring AI to DnD, Universal teased a DnD Live event, Hero Forge offered a new powerful customization tool, Discworld TTRPG ditched combat rules, and Pathfinder revealed a new video game.
Hasbro CEO Talks Up AI For DnD
Chris Cocks, the Hasbro CEO known for saying questionable CEO things, spoke very positively about DnD’s future with AI. At a recent Goldman Sachs event, Cocks expressed excitement for the “playful aspects of AI.” He also, reports EN World, claims that he personally plays DnD with 30-40 people who all use AI to generate ideas for their campaign or character.
Since apparently everyone is using AI, Cocks goes on to say that it’s a “clear signal that we need to be embracing it.” He does mention using AI responsibly and paying creators yet worryingly speaks as if AI is already heavily in use at Hasbro. And in fact, former DnD communications director Greg Tito hinted at a current divide over AI within Wizards of the Coast.
DnD Tees Up New Live Events
Speaking of the importance of in-person DnD, two new live events centered around the brand were revealed this past week. First is The Immersive Quest - A D&D Experience which begins a tour in Toronto this fall. There are no more details available to the public right now, but EN World dug up a similarly named Minecraft touring event where participants did scavenger hunt quests.
The other DnD event will take place at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2025. It will be part of the theme park’s Fan Fest Nights, which are like the iconic Halloween Horror Nights but in spring and not scary. The 2025 lineup will feature after hours entertainment themed around Back to the Future, Star Trek, and Dungeons & Dragons.
Hero Forge Unleashes Kitbashing To Make More Bespoke Minis
Hero Forge made its new Kitbashing feature available for Pro and Pro+ subscribers this week. The website has always been the premiere place for customized TTRPG miniatures, and now Kitbashing takes it to another level. The term Kitbashing comes from people chopping off pieces from various figurines and “bashing” them together so that their halfling could have a gun or their ranger could be riding a raptor. The Hero Forge Kitbashing tool recreates this process in the digital character editor. This allows for more monstrous creations, more dynamic poses, and better proportions. It’s still in alpha, but already provides many possibilities for users.
Discworld TTRPG Sets Kickstarter Date, Uses Pun-Based System
Modiphius Entertainment unveiled the crowdfunding launch date for its Discworld TTRPG - October 15. And in a bizarre twist worthy of the source material, the game’s developers are making it a wordplay-based narrative system. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Modiphius said that there are no dice modifiers or specific combat rules. Instead, the team wants players to make a lot of puns while engaging in collaborative storytelling. A Quickstart preview of the rules will be made available later this month.
Pathfinder: The Dragon’s Demand Module To Become Video Game
Paizo showed off a trailer for a new Pathfinder CRPG developed by Ossian Studios. The game will be based on The Dragon’s Demand, a solid starter adventure that takes characters through levels 1-7 in the Pathfinder 2E ruleset. The game seems to opt for a visual style that echoes its tabletop predecessor with digital miniatures on VTT-like terrain. Ossian is behind several module adaptations for Neverwinter Nights. The Dragon’s Demand Kickstarter is set to launch soon.
And that’s all for this week of TTRPG news! Thanks for reading, and may your dice be kind.
