Many fans will be tuning in this weekend on February 19th and 20th to BlizzCon 2021’s digital event. Many of those fans are looking for more news about Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and World of Warcraft, which are all set for updates during the upcoming event. An extra treat for fans of Diablo 4 and tabletop games will also be featured. Some members of the popular actual-play streaming show Critical Role will be streaming a one-shot campaign set in Diablo’s world of Sanctuary. Such a big platform for a TTRPG show really shows how popular tabletop gaming has become in the past few years.
Critical Role is arguably the most popular show of its kind. DM Matt Mercer leads a cast of voice actors (many of whom are cast in many Blizzard titles) through games set in Mercer’s homebrew world of Exandria and uses Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition ruleset. The show is one of the big factors in the surge of popularity of TTRPGs alongside shows like Stranger Things that’ve helped revitalize interest in tabletop gaming. With many fans looking for the next big Diablo 4 update at BlizzCon 2021, the one-shot is likely to draw a large number of viewers that are either already familiar with TTRPGs or are interested in maybe picking up the hobby.
When the one-shot from Critical Role was announced, many fans were excited to see the group of players enter the world of Sanctuary. There are still questions about whether the game will tie directly to the story of Diablo 4, but given the nature of TTRPGs, this is unlikely. The story will likely be its own creature, but it may end up hinting at events to come in Diablo 4. Regardless, Blizzard fans ought to be entertained, as the group of voice actors includes several that have worked on Blizzard projects: Matt Mercer voices McCree in Overwatch, after all. The two players from the regular Critical Role lineup that will be joining him for the one-shot are Laura Bailey and Liam O’Brian who both voice main characters in World of Warcraft.
The popularity of Critical Role is likely the largest factor in Blizzard deciding to include the one-shot during BlizzCon 2021. As many industry shows like BlizzCon move into the online space due to COVID-19 restrictions, companies are looking for new avenues to provide the extra excitement that was typically possible at in-person events. While Critical Role is popular on its own even to some that might not play DnD or other TTRPGs, the inclusion of the one-shot at such a large industry show is also a testament to how popular tabletop games have become on their own. More people than ever before are getting into the world of tabletop gaming, whether through DnD or other popular systems like Pathfinder or Vampire: The Masquerade.
The hobby is in somewhat of a renaissance as crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter help smaller developers find financial backing for creating their own tabletop games, the cost and complexity of 3D printing coming down allows for creation of professional-level miniatures at home, and virtual tabletops and tools like DnD Beyond make it easier to play together online. And the fact that Blizzard, one of the largest video game publishers in the world, is choosing to feature a streamed tabletop game goes to show how much the genre has grown. Some fans are curious as to the possibility of a Diablo themed TTRPG if the showcase this weekend is successful enough, but that’s largely speculation. For now, fans excited about Diablo 4 and Critical Role will have a unique event to look forward at BlizzCon 2021.
BlizzCon 2021 will be streaming live on February 19th and 20th, 2021
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