Critical Role is officially bringing its storytelling universe into a brand-new format: video games. The company behind the hit actual-play Dungeons & Dragons series announced it’s developing the first-ever game set in Exandria, the fantasy world created by game master Matthew Mercer.
Critical Role is evolving from a streaming show into a full-scale media company. Between publishing, animation, tabletop games, and now video games, the world of Exandria is becoming more expansive and accessible than ever before.
Rather than going the massive open-world RPG route, the Exandria game will take a different approach. It will focus on branching narratives and player-driven choices, similar to what fans might remember from Telltale’s The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us. That format fits well with Critical Role’s strength in character development and emotionally rich storytelling. It also allows the team to deliver a focused, high-quality experience without the years-long production timelines or huge budgets required by AAA games.
The game is being created in collaboration with AdHoc Studio, a narrative-driven developer formed by former team members of Telltale Games and Night School Studio. The collaboration came together after AdHoc showed Critical Role their upcoming title, Dispatch, which left a strong impression on the team. Critical Role CEO Travis Willingham said they knew almost immediately that AdHoc was the right partner to help them take their universe into interactive storytelling.
While full story details are still under wraps, the game won’t be a retelling of the original Critical Role campaigns. Instead, it will introduce a brand-new story set in Exandria, one that stands on its own but may include appearances from familiar faces like Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, or Bells Hells. Willingham said the team is being intentional about how much of the established lore to include, balancing fan expectations with the freedom to explore new ideas.
Development is still in the early stages. Right now, the teams are working out the creative direction, scope, and how best to bring the world to life in this new format. There’s no release date yet, but with AdHoc’s Dispatch set to launch in 2025, the Exandria game will likely come sometime after.
For longtime fans, this is an exciting next step that’s been a long time coming. It also gives those who have been along for the ride a new way to connect with the stories and characters they love, this time by playing the game themselves.
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