Critical Role Shakes Up TTRPG World: D&D Legends Join Daggerheart, Is the Reign Over?

Big news is shaking up the world of tabletop RPGs! Two legendary Dungeons & Dragons designers, Christopher Perkins and Jeremy Crawford, have just joined Critical Role’s Darrington Press. With Critical Role’s own game Daggerheart fresh on the scene, fans are buzzing—could this finally be a real rival for D&D’s throne? Let’s break down what’s happening, what it means for D&D, and why every TTRPG fan should be paying attention.

• Former D&D leads Perkins and Crawford move to Critical Role’s Darrington Press
• Daggerheart launches as Critical Role’s first in-house TTRPG
• Wizards of the Coast loses key creative heads and faces internal shake-ups
• D&D’s new 2024 rules receive mixed reviews from the community
• Could Daggerheart dethrone D&D as the top tabletop RPG?

Critical Role makes a move: Perkins and Crawford join Darrington Press

On July 16, the TTRPG world was stunned by the news that Christopher Perkins and Jeremy Crawford—the creative duo behind D&D 5th Edition—are now part of Critical Role’s Darrington Press. This comes hot on the heels of Daggerheart’s successful launch, signaling that Critical Role isn’t just playing nice with Wizards of the Coast anymore—they’re aiming for the top spot.

You can read more about this move in the LA Times (source).

Wizards of the Coast: Big names out, uncertainty in

Let’s rewind a bit. Perkins and Crawford left Wizards of the Coast earlier this year after steering D&D to its modern popularity. Officially, it was all smiles and congratulations—Wizards even posted a friendly send-off on X:

Now that the kobold is out of the bag…

Congratulations to Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins joining Darrington Press! Their creativity helped shape D&D as we know it today and the team they nurtured continues to shape its future.

We look forward to playing their next…

— Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) June 16, 2025

But behind the scenes, things look shakier. Not only did Wizards lose their creative director and game director, but soon after, their VP of franchise and product, Jess Lanzillo, also departed. To top it off, Todd Kenreck, a key content producer and Dungeon Master for D&D, was suddenly laid off. All these changes raise big questions about what’s really going on at Wizards.

Wizards claimed they were “promoting from within” (Screen Rant interview), but two months later, they posted job openings for the same senior roles that Perkins and Crawford left (see the listings). Meanwhile, Lanzillo’s next steps are unknown, and Kenreck’s departure caught many off guard.

D&D 2024: The update that missed the mark?

D&D 5th Edition has been a smash hit, making the game a pop culture icon. But the new 2024 update hasn’t landed as well. Many fans, including longtime Dungeon Masters, say it actually makes the core problems of 5e worse. There are fewer customization options, more vague rules, and even some iconic monsters are missing. Instead of building on the last decade, it feels like a step back.

As Derek Garcia put it in his review: “The problem with the 2024 rules is that these fail to fix the biggest issue with D&D’s 5th edition — a loose rules system that intentionally offloads game design onto the DM — and they actually make it worse, too.” Many DMs are left flipping between old and new books just to run a session.

The new Dungeon Master’s Guide is a particular pain point. While it includes a full Greyhawk setting (which some love), it offers less concrete advice for DMs and even less in the way of new rules. Meanwhile, character classes are now even more powerful, making game balance a headache.

Hasbro and Wizards under pressure

Beyond the rules drama, Hasbro and Wizards have faced criticism for mass layoffs and questionable use of AI. Their grip on the top of the TTRPG mountain isn’t as solid as it once seemed.

Daggerheart: Ready for the crown?

Is Daggerheart ready to take over as the world’s most popular tabletop RPG? Not just yet. Some D&D fans who dislike the “woke” direction of 5e won’t find Daggerheart any more appealing, since it leans into similar themes. Many will stick to older editions or OSR games like Dungeon Crawl Classics or Shadowdark. Plus, Daggerheart’s rules are still evolving and share some of the same “DM fills in the blanks” issues as 5e.

Still, with Perkins and Crawford on board, Darrington Press has serious momentum. If more streamers and shows start playing Daggerheart instead of D&D, the balance could shift fast. And with Wizards still scrambling to fill its creative vacancies, the next few years could be a turning point.

What’s next?

One thing’s clear: Perkins and Crawford are free from the old D&D system and corporate red tape. With the creative energy at Darrington Press, they might just craft something special enough to finally challenge D&D’s fifty-year reign. The TTRPG showdown is officially on—so grab your dice, because this story is far from over!