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Daggerheart’s massive Gen Con announcements confirms Critical Role’s RPG is D&D’s true rival
Darrington Press used Gen Con 2026 to outline an ambitious multi-year roadmap for Daggerheart, Critical Role’s fantasy tabletop role-playing game.
– The studio said it is planning Daggerheart projects through the next three years and has begun considering releases for 2030. – Players can expect two major releases annually, including settings, campaigns, expansions and adventures, supported by accessories and digital material. – The Hope & Fear expansion is due to receive an early release in August and a wider release in September. – A free Romantasy Campaign Frame is planned for the autumn, with additional free products on Daggerheart’s website. – Daggerheart Core and Hope & Fear premium content will become available for Foundry Virtual Tabletop. – Official accessories, including a Game Master screen, Fear Trackers and an adversary deck, are expected in November.
In short
- Daggerheart has announced a multi-year release strategy.
- Hope & Fear launches widely in September.
- Foundry VTT content and accessories are forthcoming.
Explained simply
Critical Role is an entertainment company known for livestreaming collaborative fantasy games in which players act out adventures together, guided by a referee who controls the story and game world. Daggerheart is a new fantasy game they have developed through their publishing company, Darrington Press.
Dungeons & Dragons has been the dominant game in this genre for nearly five decades and remains the industry standard. The game involves a group of players each controlling a character, with one person acting as referee to guide the story and enforce the rules.
Critical Role's creation of their own game system marks a significant step away from Dungeons & Dragons, the game that initially built their audience. Breaking Dungeons & Dragons' market dominance has proved difficult for other companies over many years, making any major new game from an established entertainment group noteworthy in the gaming industry.