Darrington Press, the publishing arm of Critical Role, previewed its 2023 projects on Thursday. In its first “State of the Press” update, Matthew Mercer and Mica Burton announced Darrington Press will be at Gen Con in August. There, the company will have playable demos for its three new titles. Those new Darrington Press games include a deck-building board game and two RPG systems. While Critical Role mostly spends its time in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, the company’s Darrington Press imprint continues to explore and invent in the world of tabletop games.
Darrington Press’ announcements include Queen by Midnight, Illuminated Worlds, and Daggerheart. Here’s what we know about each game:
Queen by Midnight
Launching this summer in the Critical Role shops, Darrington Press Guild stores, and other friendly local game stores, Queen by Midnight is a battle royale deck-building game by Kyle Shire, where you play as powerful princesses battling it out in a magical free for all! When the clock strikes midnight, the most powerful princess left standing will be crowned the next Midnight Queen. Each princess has their own unique vibe and playstyle, so there’s a little something for everyone, whether you’re familiar with deck-building games or not.
Illuminated Worlds
Created by Stras Ascimovic and Layla Alderman, the Illuminated Worlds System is a d6 dice pool and is designed for much shorter, arc-driven campaigns and flexible enough to be used with any type of setting. More information on Illuminated Worlds will be available soon.
Daggerheart
A fun and fresh update to the fantasy genre of RPGs, Daggerheart has been designed for long-term campaign play and character progression. More information on Daggerheart will be made at a later date.
I’m particularly excited about Daggerheart, even with scant details. Illuminated World intrigues me, too. I know long campaigns aren’t for everyone’s schedules. It sounds like this system could be an excellent option for those short on free time.
Keep an eye on Darrington Press for further updates on these new games and previously announced titles.
