It’s a big news week for Dungeons & Dragons fans! If you’re not into DnD, we’ve got plenty of other great pieces about competitors and indie games. But today’s stories are all about DnD side projects, former employees, and more Hasbro ugliness. So read on to see which two DnD names jumped ship to Critical Role, what caused the latest Hasbro layoffs, a DnD video game that could have been, and a brand new DnD comic series.
Chris Perkins & Jeremy Crawford Make Surprise Move To Critical Role's Darrington Press
Two of the most important names in DnD 5e are now part of the Darrington Press team, with the exact same titles they held at Wizards of the Coast. When Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford announced separate retirements soon after DnD 2024 hit shelves, the Critical Role company wasted no time in trying to recruit the duo.
According to an interview with the LA Times, Perkins truly did mean to retire. But the promise of a new journey and the chance to work with Crawford again under the banner of Critical Role brought him back to the industry. The duo are now the Creative and Game Director of Darrington Press as a whole, leaving Daggerheart’s direction still in creator Spenser Stark’s hands.
Hasbro Layoffs Hit 3% Of Global Workforce After Tariff Warnings
Back at the DnD office, the Wall Street Journal reports that Hasbro laid off 3% of its global workforce. While the chaotic US tariff situation wasn’t directly cited as the reason, the cuts do come after Hasbro’s CEO said in April that tariff effects would likely include layoffs. The 3% equates to about 150 jobs. An interesting tidbit is that tariffs won’t really affect DnD products as most are printed in the States. Hasbro often sees losses in the toy market, while its best sales tend to be from digital products like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Magic: The Gathering cards.
Leaked Footage Of Canceled DnD Video Game By Hidden Path Entertainment
You can now catch a glimpse of gameplay footage from a canceled open-world DnD video game. Courtesy of MP1st, the footage was found in the portfolio of someone who worked on the game’s soundtrack and SFX. It shows what one would expect from a modern action-adventure game, with a camera fixed behind the player character as they solve puzzles and beat baddies using a mix of melee and magic. Two companion characters also chime in with early voice acting. Concept art was also discovered that depicts characters, dragons, and ruins. The game was in development by Hidden Path Entertainment but was canceled by WotC in 2023.
Dark Horse Announces DnD Comic Based on Fallbacks
Dark Horse is now the publishing partner for DnD comics, and the first comic resulting from this union is a four issue minisereies. It’s called Dungeons & Dragons: The Fallbacks and stars the adventuring party from two recent novels. The Fallbacks are your usual group of misfits who get in over their heads on a grand adventure. The group also appears in several art pieces in the 2024 Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide. The comic will be written by Greg Pak, have pencils by Wilton Santos, inks by Edvan Alves, colors by Raul Angulo, letters by Nate Piekos, and is set to come out in October 2025.
And now we are at the end of this week’s news. Thanks for reading, and may your dice be kind!
Sergio Solórzano is the best Dungeon Master in the USA (according to a Wizards of the Coast competition, anyway). He loves minis and terrain but also goes all-in on improv!
