The death of fetch quests is the best thing to happen to RPGs
A Destructoid opinion piece argues that "fetch quests" — the tedious go-there-find-thing-bring-it-back missions long common in RPGs — are finally dying out, and calls this a major improvement for the genre. The writer, drawing on extensive playtime with the new RPG Blood of Dawnwalker, contrasts its near-total absence of fetch quests with the design of AAA titles like Skyrim and most MMORPGs, where such repetitive loops have historically been used to pad out playtime and inflate marketed hour counts.
The article credits games such as The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and now Blood of Dawnwalker with pioneering quest design built instead around meaningful choices, exploration and evolving narrative paths, even when a mission technically begins with retrieving an item. It notes that fetch quests only work well when they morph into something more substantial mid-mission, and cites Death Stranding as an example of a game that turned the "fetching" concept into a distinctive mechanic rather than filler. The writer concludes that as more RPGs follow this shift, the genre will benefit both narratively and mechanically.
- Fetch quests are increasingly disappearing from modern RPGs
- Blood of Dawnwalker praised for having virtually none
- Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Death Stranding cited as positive examples
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Radio-friendly RPGs have long relied on "fetch quests" – missions that send players off to find or collect an item and bring it back. They are one of the most common building blocks in role-playing video games, used for decades in everything from single-player epics to online multiplayer worlds, but they are also widely seen as repetitive filler that stretches out how long a game takes to complete.
The discussion centres on how RPG designers have gradually moved away from this formula. Games such as The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, both developed by CD Projekt Red, are often cited as turning points, reshaping fetch-style missions into quests with branching choices and evolving stories instead of simple errands. The newly released RPG Blood of Dawnwalker is the latest example being discussed in this context, alongside older titles like Skyrim, which is frequently used as a benchmark for the more traditional, padded approach.
This matters to anyone who follows video games because quest design shapes how enjoyable and respected an RPG is considered to be, and reflects broader shifts in how developers balance game length against player engagement. The genre has a large, dedicated following, and debates over which design choices count as meaningful progress versus which are just time-filling padding are a recurring theme in how RPGs are reviewed and discussed.