They dropped it on the weekend and I was ready. 😎 To be fair the beacon discord has been really fast, too and I’ll often get supplementary article links (like variety, ign, etc) from there.
Variety‘s Q&A with Mulligan about his new deal with Dropout and plans for his temporary takeover at Critical Role.
We are at the beginning of an epic adventure. I am about to embark — once again, to my great honor and privilege — behind the screen over at Critical Role for the beginning of Campaign 4. Oh my God, I cannot wait to share with everybody what we’re cooking up. And I can also say, over at “Dimension 20,” we are cooking up multiple seasons right now.
The future is very bright. Just signed a new three-year deal, not only to continue to lead creatively and strategically with my beloved Intrepid Heroes and all our amazing friends that work with us in the dimensional dome for many, many, long years to come, but also a new development deal for even things and projects beyond, waiting in the mist for us to discover. Because things at Dropout are just going awesome, and we have so many amazing people there to collaborate with. The future is very bright.
In terms of either of these projects impacting the other, the primary and I think sole way that the excitement and enthusiasm around Campaign 4 of Critical Role is impacting all the amazing things cooking up at “Dimension 20” is that I’m maybe too lucky for a person that I get to have all this fun. That’s the number one, and sole impact is I’m having a fucking ball. It’s very exciting.
We’re also wrapping up Book One of “The Wizard, the Witch and The Wild One” for “Worlds Beyond Number,” which I’m so enormously proud of. I’ll also get to be a player at the table of the one, the only, the inimitable of Aabria Iyengar, who I’m so excited to be a PC for in the next big, main campaign of “Worlds Beyond Number.” So that’s very exciting.
We just shot an awesome season of “Dimension 20” earlier this month. And I hate to brag, but while you’re asking, it’s one of the most delightful, funny, tears were shed beautiful performances. Also, it was a gorgeous production experience. We were going home on time. We weren’t even going over on our schedule. The reason that I am able to play in the epic adventures and fantasy worlds of Critical Role, and that I am able to tell these wild million different dimensions of candy “Game of Thrones” and high school for heroes, all this stuff over at “Dimension 20,” is because truly of the diligence, brilliance and incredible work ethic of the cast, crew and staff of both of these incredible institutions.
How did this Critical Role opportunity come about?
It started a while ago. Critical Role has “The Legend of Vox Machina,” “The Mighty Nein,” comics and shows and live shows and stories and the incredible work that’s gone into Darrington Press and “Daggerheart.” Just the amount of achievement, creatively and artistically over at Critical Role is so profound. The experience I had creatively with “Calamity” and “Downfall” and “Divergence” was just so positive and such a joy to share that with everybody there, that as the company expands and the founding cast has this incredible creative empire to manage, I think it was looking to me to come in and take the reins, largely so that the incredible creative minds there can tend to all of these astounding endeavors that they have going on. And it’s a delight and a privilege for me to be able to do that. I know this is glib, but I’m finally playing almost as much TTRPG as I’d like. We’re getting close.
Can you say what game system you’re thinking of using for this one?
I will be glad to share that that announcement is scheduled and on route. Going back to the renewal of the deal with Dropout — can you hint at what new series and projects you’re excited about pursuing in the future for Dropout, outside of “Dimension 20”?
It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to be the creator and EP of “Dimension 20” and my work there as well on all of our shows, “Make Some Noise” and “Game Changer.” And there are so many projects there that, as Dropout continues to expand and thrive — we have now this incredible development team, not only of the senior leadership at the company, but like Paul Robalino, Rosie Keller and Elise Finley, who are amazing. They’re so brilliant.
And in terms of what I personally am excited for, the worlds along the horizon for Dropout, I think we have this amazing facility with unscripted content. And there are a lot of ideas that I have from my background in LARPing, or my background in other pursuits and hobbies that I look at and I go, “We work with the greatest improvisers on the planet, can we find unscripted venues that tell a story we haven’t gotten to tell yet?”
But then beyond that, this is a big, multi-year deal. Dropout is my home. Sam Reich gave me that phone call and changed my life, so I’ll be there. They will have to drag me kicking and screaming out of Dropout, American Girl-doll-shoes jokes notwithstanding. Nothing could compel me to leave. And I’m so proud to be associated with a company like Dropout and the horizon is so broad. Maybe different kinds of storytelling, even beyond unscripted? Are there things on the far horizon for our company that maybe makes sense?
Recently, “Dimension 20” released a Webtoon comic series based on its “Fantasy High” season. Are there any other “Dimension 20” storylines that you’re looking at adapting for another format in a similar way?
You know what, I hate not giving you stuff to talk about so I’ll take a risk here and say: In different ways to share our world, there is more than one world that is currently receiving TLC in terms of what other corners might be explored within it, even beyond the bounds of actual play.
Eloquently put. A few more important questions here: Which American Girl doll do you most enjoy making custom shoes for?
Josefina, and it’s because I learned how to pronounce her name correctly. I said it wrong in the video and people really let me have it, let me tell you. So that’s my mea culpas. We’ll get Josefina’s name right, and we’ll get those shoes right.
Which of those sketch videos do you hope ultimately wins the “Fool’s Gold” episode of “Game Changer”?
I have to say I think Izzy Roland’s “Even More Buttholes” video is going to be a dark horse. I think that people should pay attention. Izzy Roland is the funniest comedian on the planet. And anybody who doesn’t think so, they got a problem with me. And finally, will you be green-lighting a full season of Katie Marovitch’s “Dimension 20: On a Bus”? Wow, it’s an amazing question. I’m not gonna lie, I have reservations about green-lighting a full season, only because Katie is so much a better “Dragon Master” than me that I think it will dim my light and make me look bad in comparison. And I know that Katie is coming from my throat. I mean, Marovitch is one of the most ruthless operators out there, don’t get it twisted. It’s a knives out bloodbath, that’s why they call her Bloodbath Marovitch. And you can quote me on that.
Are you considering implementing Katie’s strictly D6 rolling method moving forward in your work?
I’m waiting to see if Katie can add in a tactical movement element, because battle sets are an important part of the design aesthetic of “Dimension 20.” I also would love there to be just more than one rule, one feels like kind of not enough. I’ve asked if Katie could make even two or three additional rules. She hung up on me and then vandalized my home. But that’s Katie Bloodbath Marovitch. And, again, I’m hoping the name sticks.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Variety Article on BLeeM as GM for Campaign 4
Contrary to popular (internet joke) belief, “Dimension 20” Brennan Lee Mulligan is not abandoning his career to make custom American Girl doll shoes. No, not only has Mulligan struck a new three-year development deal at his longtime home media company Dropout (formerly CollegeHumor) but he’ll be visiting the team at Critical Role as their Game Master for the next core campaign of the tabletop role-playing game, actual-play series’.
Premiering Thursday, Oct. 2, the currently untitled Campaign 4 will be “ushering in a new era with new legends to be forged in a brand new world,” per Critical Role. The fourth installment follows the previous core campaigns: “Vox Machina” (Campaign 1), “The Mighty Nein” (Campaign 2) and most recently “Bells Hells” (Campaign 3).
Best known as the dungeon master for his Dropout actual-play series “Dimension 20,” Mulligan will serve as Game Master for the full duration of Campaign 4, “bringing his signature depth, humor, wit, and high-stakes drama to Critical Role’s next grand adventure.” Mulligan takes over the role from Critical Role’s staple Game Master, Matt Mercer, who will be taking “a bit of a breather” this campaign as the actual-play series explores the world outside its usual Exandria setting.
Details on the cast, world, game system, format and more for Campaign 4 will be revealed in the coming months. The season will be available for streaming on Critical Role streamer Beacon.tv, as well as Critical Role’s YouTube and Twitch channels on Oct. 2. The VOD available for everyone the following Monday and podcast episodes will drop in two parts: the first one the week after the premiere, and the second on the following Tuesday.
Per Critical Role, Beacon subscribers will also get “exclusive access to all episodes of Critical Role Cooldown for Campaign 4, where the cameras keep rolling and you get a front row seat to the cast’s post-show reactions.”
In addition to “Dimension 20,” Mulligan’s notable projects include his popular podcast “Worlds Beyond Number,” and other Dropout original series including “Game Changer,” “Make Some Noise” and “Very Important People.” Mulligan recently signed a new three-year deal with Dropout, which includes continuing to lead “Dimension 20” creatively and strategically, as well as an overall development deal to create and produce new Dropout series.
“We’ve been enormous fans of Brennan’s for many years now, and when it came to giving both Matthew Mercer and the world of Exandria a bit of a breather, Brennan felt like the perfect storyteller to take our community somewhere entirely new,” Critical Role CEO, co-founder and cast member Travis Willingham said. “Critical Role has always been about genuine connection through storytelling first and foremost, and as Brennan himself will tell you, he’s still played more TTRPGs away from a camera than in front of it. His passion and drive for worldbuilding is infectious, and it’s been an absolute joy to spark off him as we forge ahead. “
Critical Role creative director, co-founder and cast member Marisha Ray added: “We’re not just turning a page – we’re starting a whole new book. Everything about Campaign 4 is fresh; new world, new tone, new possibilities. We can’t wait for the fans to experience what we’ve been building.”
Critical Role Direct: Campaign 4 Announcement
Join us in a new world for a whole new story led by Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan on Thursday, October 2nd.
Matthew Mercer will still be at the table, but this time as a player. We can't wait to share more with you in the coming weeks!
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A New Era of Heroic Roleplaying
Join Matthew Mercer, Spenser Starke, Elise Rezendes, and guests at our Gen Con 2025 panel and discover what's next for Daggerheart! We’ll have a first look at upcoming partnerships, a live game demo that dives into the rich worlds awaiting you, special guests joining our table, and a giveaway for the live Gen Con audience!
Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or new to TTRPGs, this event will immerse you in the game's innovative mechanics, deep storytelling possibilities, and breathtaking art.
"Oops! All Vests!"
Elite Designers
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 18 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 18 on Tuesday, July 29th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 63 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 63 Podcast out Tuesday, July 29th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 85 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 9 releases Wednesday, July 30th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
We’re taking a quick mid-season break from UNEND to fine-tune our upcoming episodes and we’ll return with an even more cosmologically chaotic voyage in two weeks!
- Episode 11 will release Wednesday, August 13th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
- Episode 11 will release Wednesday, August 27th on all other platforms
Daggerheart Showcase & Live Demo:
A New Era of Heroic Roleplaying
Join one our very own Matthew Mercer for an exclusive showcase of Daggerheart at Gen Con 2025!
- Airs Thursday, July 31st at 8am Pacific on Beacon and the Darrington Press YouTube
- VOD Available immediately after the stream ends.
Tag Team At The Teeth: The Misty Ascent
Sydney Live Show 2025
Check out our 2025 Sydney Live Show! When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat….
Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Jester Lavorre, Ashton Greymoore, Yasha Nydoorin, Caleb Widogast, Veth Brenatto, Chetney Pock O’Pea, and Laudna work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure!
- Airs Thursday, July 31st at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
- Rebroadcasts Friday, August 1st at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
- VOD out Monday, August 4th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out August 7th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out August 12th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
Date Everything Q&A
Robbie Daymond is a voice actor best known as Megumi Fushiguro in “Jujutsu Kaisen,” Gilthunder in “The Seven Deadly Sins," Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Mask in “Sailor Moon,” Kozuki Oden in “One Piece,” Chrollo Lucilfer in “Hunter × Hunter,” Ikoma in “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress” as well as appearing on the hit series “Critical Role” and so much more!
Ray Chase is a voice actor best known as Ryomen Sukuna and Choso in “Jujutsu Kaisen,” Tengen Uzui in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," Noctis in “Final Fantasy XV,” Bruno Bucciarati in “JoJo's Bizarre Adventure,” Corazon in “One Piece,” Puri Puri Prisoner and Doctor Genus in “One Punch Man,” and so much more!
Critical Role Team Hypes The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 & Teases The Mighty Nein's Future (ScreenRant)
The Mighty Nein & The Legend of Vox Machina stars Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, Talisen Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, and Liam O’Brien hype their beloved Critical Role-inspired shows.
What Vox Machina Need You To Know About the Mighty Nein (IGN)
Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe, Sam Reigal and Liam O'Brien of Critical Role join IGN to discuss the reveals from their massive SDCC 2025 panel for The Mighty Nein and Legend of Vox Machina. Along with a Mighty Nein release date on November 19, The Legend of Vox Machina was renewed for its filth and final season.
The team discusses the stark differences between the two campaigns, as well as the joys and challenges of recording the two stories in tandem for the first time. Be sure to stick around for all of them trying to condense Campaign 2 into one sentence!
SDCC 2025 Panel
San Diego Comic-Con 2025 for the Critical Role panel in Ballroom 20.
Moderated by Whitney Moore and featuring the cast: Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Taliesan Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Sam Riegel, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray and Travis Willingham.
Big Announcements at Comic-Con! (Rotten Tomatoes)
The Cast of The Legend of Vox Machina & The Mighty Nein (Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe) Talk About Their Big Announcements at Comic-Con!
Age of Umbra: The Tomb of the Heretic Saint
Runtime Break start 3h 46m 2h 22m
Last we left off, these survivors of the troop, enduring that have traversed much of the eastern edge of the Halcyon Domain, pushed through Amber Reach, lost friends and others that walked into shadow and have found just the four of them now trudging forward beyond the Ashcall Quarter, the Celsian Athenaeum, the Cinnabar Quarter, and eventually, through the Aurumweald, until finally you arrived at your destination, the Barrow of Blind Repose. A little battered, a little exhausted, you look at the (heavily grown-over) sealed front door to this mountainous subterranean tomb to the heretical Saint Evelyar (of which the research back in Desperloch pointed to the possibility of a Blessed Branch might be, an object that is capable of starting or restarting a Sacred Pyre like the one that was destroyed back in your home village, leaving it vulnerable) while the distant shrieks of the Umbra continue to screech and echo on the horizon.
So as you arrive and settle in, with your final destination before you, what would you like to do?
Previous Episode: Escape from the Reach
GENERATION ANALOG 2025 "PUNK"
- Keynote: "A Master Plan: Hip Hop, TTRPGs & The Power of Imaginative Defiance"
- Session A: Punk Politics and Power
- Session B: Punk Pedagogy and Play
- Session C: Punk Sex and Gender
- Session D: Punk Presence and Future
- Presidential Lecture: "Not Dead, Still Punk"/"10 Years of Analog Game Studies"
Analog Game Studies
The official journal of Analog Game Studies. Scholarly content about tabletop, live-action, performance, and generally awesome games. Read more at our website analogamestudies.org.
CriticalProf
Professors Em (Friedman) and Emily (Kugler) talk about the way that games represent the eighteenth-century, literary history, and much more.
Weird Kids Episode 15
Recent episode that was well-received by the community and helped others to feel seen and less alone in their journey.
Mental Health Stream with Pat Rothfuss, Holly Conrad, and Matt Mercer
Join Patrick Rothfuss as he speaks with Holly Conrad and Matt Mercer about mental health as part of the Worldbuilders 2017 fundraiser.
Matt Mercer Talks Critical Role, Body Dysmorphia, Cancel Culture, Internet A$$holes & More
Marisha Ray Talks Being Tinker Bell, Constant Online Harassment, The Future of Critical Role
The Power of “Yes” and Finding Your Passion: A Candid Conversation with Sam Riegel
Meet Critical Role's gang of misfits in Vox Machina spinoff
article by Nick Romano
Members of Critical Role, as well as new showrunner Tasha Huo, preview what's to come in the "Legend of Vox Machina" spinoff series.
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The heroes known collectively as the Mighty Nein are indeed mighty... but they're not exactly nine.
That's one of the many inside jokes among the members of Critical Role, the Dungeons & Dragons troupe of actors that became an online sensation for livestreams of their fantasy role-playing campaigns, which are now adapted into two animated shows for Amazon's Prime Video.
After three successful seasons (and a fourth on the way) of The Legend of Vox Machina, based on the group's first table-top adventure, The Mighty Nein now adapts the core events of Campaign 2. And, sure enough, Entertainment Weekly's exclusive first look at the spinoff show features six (not nine!) of the new band of misfits... at least for now.
"Not to spoil anything for the audience, but all of your favorite gags, all of your favorite inside jokes and weird things that happened during the Campaign 2 live-play, we love those things too, and we're going to try to preserve as many of those as possible," Critical Role's Sam Riegel, an actor and executive producer on both Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein shows, tells Entertainment Weekly. "I won't say how and when that joke is made, but if you loved it in the campaign, I guarantee it will make an appearance in the animated series."
The Mighty Nein takes place in the same fantasy world as The Legend of Vox Machina, called Exandria. But instead of the land of Tal'Dorei, the series hones in on a completely different continent, known as Wildemount, which hosts the Dwendalian Empire to the west, the Kryn Dynasty to the east, and the Menagerie Coast along the sea. The show also takes place many years after the events of Vox Machina. However, Tasha Huo, The Mighty Nein showrunner and EP, promises "a lot of fun intersections" between the two animated series.
"We want to make sure that everyone understands those two stories do happen in the same world at the same time, even though they're separated by, I think, 20 years," she says.
The members of Critical Role, all of whom worked on The Legend of Vox Machina, now return as very different characters.
As seen in EW's sneak peek, Riegel voices Nott The Brave, a foul-mouthed alcoholic goblin girl who's a master of stealth and crossbow; Liam O’Brien voices Caleb Widogast, a disheveled human wizard adept at fire magic; Marisha Ray voices Beauregard Lionett, a human monk of the Cobalt Soul order who's part MMA fighter, part kick-ass detective; Laura Bailey voices Jester Lavorre, a blue-skinned tiefling and a prankster whose best friend is an invisible god named the Traveler; Travis Willingham voices Fjord Stone, an orphaned half-orc sailor who washes ashore after a shipwreck with mysterious magical powers; and Taliesin Jaffe voices Mollymauk Tealeaf, a purple-skinned tiefling who serves as a flamboyant tarot reader for a traveling carnival.
Not seen is the character played by another crucial Critical Role member; Ashley Johnson will voice the role of Yasha Nydoorin, a barbarian woman and a roving mercenary from the wastes of Xhorhas in the Kryn Dynasty.
"We really had an opportunity to kick things up a notch in terms of character building, world building, and storytelling techniques," Riegel says. "It has echoes of Vox Machina, obviously because it's based in the same world and made by the same people, but I think it's going to scratch itches that Vox Machina doesn't scratch."
Willingham, who also serves as an EP on top of his Fjord Stone role, adds, "We like to scratch all sorts of itches. With The Legend of Vox Machina, we started with our heroes altogether at once. We really want to buy into who these characters are from The Mighty Nein and how they come together slowly — as pairs, sometimes staying lone wolves for as long as possible, and really fighting for what it is they're looking to achieve in the story. That's the thing that really is going to separate Mighty Nein from Vox. You'll see all of them fighting for their own goals and really resisting working together as a team for quite a long while."
Unlike the characters from LVM, Huo points to something she loved from watching Critical Role's original Mighty Nein livestream campaign: all the secrets the characters keep from one another as the plot progresses.
"A big thing that drew me to that show was just the trauma of all the characters," she explains. "So the show reflects a more mature, more elevated storytelling. There's more drama, there is more filmmaking involved. We really try to treat the show like a live-action show, which is tonally different than Vox Machina, but still keeping within the same world."
In terms of what story the show is adapting with this first season, fans will surely have theories once they get a glimpse of Essek Thelyss, a drow wizard from the Kryn Dynasty.
Matt Mercer, who created the world of Exandria and serves as Critical Role's de facto Dungeon Master, voices Essek, a crucial figure during a certain conflict that involves the Kryn Dynasty, the larger Empire in Wildemount, and a stolen artifact.
"One of the things Matt harped on over the years is that, as much as everybody loves their favorite hot boy, Essek Thelyss, he for a very long time was not a very good person," Willingham comments.
Similar to how LVM adapted the more nefarious characters to the screen, like the Briarwoods, The Mighty Nein will expand upon Essek's story, showing story material that happened "off screen" (metaphorically speaking, since there are no screens in a table-top campaign). "You'll see the machinations both happening in the Empire and the Dynasty, all the things moving behind the scenes, and really who was Essek," Willingham continues. "How did he get to be in the place where he was, moving these large pieces and affecting a large portion of the world in The Mighty Nein?"
As for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, which was announced for renewal in October, Riegel, Willingham, and the rest of the Critical Role crew are still cranking away. When EW speaks with the Mighty Nein team, they had just completed a new recording session "with someone in New York" in the wee hours of that morning.
"I think there's some announcements coming at San Diego," Riegel teases. "I don't know about release dates yet, but season 4 is awesome. It's so cool, and there's lots of twists and turns coming, lots of unexpected new characters."
In true LVM style, Willingham jokes, "Certainly no musical numbers of any kind."
Dispatch Gameplay Demo
article by Harvey Randall
Dispatch is the first game out of AdHoc—a studio that contains several directors and developers from Telltale Games' height of popularity. Featured in our own PC Gaming Show, Dispatch also has a demo out for Steam Next Fest, and after playing it, my only complaint is that I want to see more.
I've always had a soft spot for the golden age of Telltale: The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us were both supremely compelling dramas that came out at a time where "your choices matter" was still novel. Whether they actually delivered on that promise is a touch debatable, but I was still very much enthralled.
There was always one problem, though—their animation was, uh, just okay. This isn't meant as a slight, mind. Good animation is both extremely expensive and difficult, and likely outside of the budget of most studios: But they didn't quite deliver on the promise of a playable movie or TV show.
Well, if the demo is to be believed, Dispatch hasn't just nailed it, it's also got a really compelling dispatch management sim inside it—an actual proper game wrapped up in a bundle of genuinely excellent animation. This isn't just aping Telltale's golden age, it's making an active effort to improve on it.
In Dispatch, you play washed-up superhero Robert, formerly known as Mecha-Man. His power suit broke and he can't replace it, so he's been brought into the SDN, a company that dispatches squads of super-powered convicts to help deal with crimes around the city.
When it comes to the Telltale-y-ness of it all, Dispatch is pretty much best-in-class. This thing looks gorgeous, like an honest-to-Superman TV original animated with a solid heft of budget and skill. Characters are expressive and vibrant, the environments are colourful, and the facial expressions could be lifted from comic book stills.
The voice-acting's top-notch, as well. There's a mix of seasoned videogame acting talent like Laura Bailey mixed with TV stars like Aaron Paul—mind, the latter's already proven he can handle voice acting just fine, starring in shows like Invincible. There's also a couple of fun streamer cameos: JackSepticeye and MoistCr1TiKaL make some solid appearances, too.
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Tales From The Stinky Dragon
Campaign 3: Kanon
A team of trained soldiers is caught in the middle of a war between distant deities and under-dwelling devils. As they turn the tide of this celestial crusade, a voice beckons them from the beyond—destiny or doom?
- Episode 22 releases Monday, July 21st on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
- Episode 22 releases Wednesday, July 23rd on your favorite podcast streaming platform and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon YouTube at 12am Pacific.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 17 releases Tuesday, July 22nd at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 17 on Tuesday, July 22nd by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 62 releases Tuesday, July 22nd at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 62 Podcast out Tuesday, July 22nd on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 84 releases Tuesday, April 1st at 10am Pacific on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 8 releases Wednesday, July 23rd on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Episode 10 releases Wednesday, July 23rd on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
Age of Umbra | Episode 8
It’s the Age of Umbra Series Finale!
Small communities hold fast against the darkness of a dying world in Age of Umbra, a dark, survival fantasy 8-part Daggerheart mini-series with Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham. Death lurks around every corner, but five characters of the small community of Desperloch must band together to fight for hope for their community, risking it all for those they love.
- Airs Thursday, July 24th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
- VOD and Podcast out Thursday, July 24th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
- Rebroadcasts Friday, July 25th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
- VOD out Monday, July 28th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out July 31st on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out July 31st on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
Cooldown | Age of Umbra | Episode 8
Get a backstage pass to Age of Umbra! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.
- Releases Thursday, July 24th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon
Critical Role to Start Development on Their First Video Game in Partnership With AdHoc Studio
article by Todd Spangler
CR also collaborating on AdHoc's forthcoming 'Dispatch' title, due out later this year
A video game set in Critical Role‘s role-playing game world of Exandria is one step closer to reality — but it will still be a few years before it sees the light of day.
Critical Role is teaming up with L.A.-based indie game studio AdHoc Studio on multiple projects, including the official development of the D&D-inspired company’s first ever video game.
In addition to the Exandria-set game, Critical Role is partnering with AdHoc Studio on the highly anticipated video game “Dispatch,” which will include future brand development inclusive of an animated series, merchandise and tabletop gaming.
The partnership between CR and AdHoc kicked off when Travis Willingham, Critical Role’s CEO and cast member — and a veteran voice actor — received an audition for “Dispatch,” and he was impressed by the narrative game’s design, tone and storytelling style. Voice talent for “Dispatch” also includes Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer and Laura Bailey, along with actors Aaron Paul and Jeffrey Wright and creators JackSepticEye and MoistCr1TiKaL.
“Dispatch,” due to be released later in 2025, is described as “a superhero workplace comedy” where players must manage “a dysfunctional team of misfit heroes and strategize who to send to emergencies around the city, all while balancing office politics, personal relationships, and your own quest to become a hero.” AdHoc Studio was founded in 2018 by industry veterans from Telltale Games, Ubisoft and Night School Studio.
Willingham said that when he saw a demo of “Dispatch,” “I absolutely flipped out. The animation was so amazing. So much so it looked like an animated show.” He called up AdHoc Studio co-founder and COO Nick Herman to ask him about creating a game that would look like that for Critical Role. In the fall of 2024, Wallingham and Bailey met with Herman and AdHoc CEO Michael Choung and Herman over dinner in Studio City — and they immediately hit it off.
“It’s the kind of collaboration you hope for,” Choung said in a statement. “We’ve known the Critical Role team for years, so when we finally started kicking around ideas, it all just clicked. It made sense in the best way possible, so we’re thrilled we get to team up and cause some trouble together.”
Willingham said it’s still very early on the companies’ co-development of an original video game set in Critical Role’s Exandria. But in general, CR sees the game following the same template as the narrative gameplay in “Dispatch” in which the player makes choices.
“We’re tossing around ideas, what are we thinking about in terms of scope and budget, and some of the things we must have,” Wallingham said. “You are going to want to see your favorite characters.”
The game will be “something unique in the world of Exandria,” he added, and “I think it would have to be something brand-new in terms of storyline.” He suggested that the video game might be set at some point in between Critical Role’s main campaigns. The game could feature characters from Vox Machina, Mighty Nein and Bells Hells (or only some of them), according to Willingham.
The team at Critical Role, which started as an R&D get-together among friends a decade ago, has talked about producing a video game featuring their characters for years. “Taking on an interactive project is such a large endeavor,” Willingham said. “It has to be a Goldilocks zone for us,” he said, by which he means big enough to be a successful game but not as expensive and time-consuming as a AAA title. At a more reasonable and “more responsible” scale, Critical Role is looking at a production timeline of a couple of years instead of five years or more with a larger AAA game.
Critical Role’s founders and cast members are Matthew Mercer, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey and Liam O’Brien.
Amazon MGM Studios has produced three seasons of “The Legend of Vox Machina” based on CR’s first major campaign and has ordered a fourth. Critical Role is developing “Mighty Nein,” based on Critical Role’s second campaign, for Amazon Prime Video.
Critical Role has an overall first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios, and Willingham said he would “love to see someone take a swing” at adapting AdHoc’s “Dispatch” as an animated series.
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