Darrington Press

Darrington Press is a tabletop-game publishing imprint established by Critical Role Productions in October 2020. It was created to develop and publish games connected with the wider Critical Role entertainment business while also working with creators and settings outside the Exandria universe. The imprint takes its name from Taryon Darrington, a fictional player character portrayed by Sam Riegel during Critical Role's first campaign. Within the fiction, Taryon published an account of his adventures with Vox Machina, making the name an in-universe reference as well as a publishing-oriented brand identity. The label launched with a planned slate of board and card games, including Uk'otoa, Critical Role Adventures, Syndicult, and Guardians of Matrimonia. At launch, company director Ivan Van Norman said the imprint did not intend to use crowdfunding for its game releases. Uk'otoa became the first announced title to reach release, arriving in May 2021. Its presentation and components were generally praised, although reviews differed substantially on the quality and depth of its gameplay. The mixed reception illustrated an early challenge for the imprint: translating Critical Role's strong fictional and fan appeal into tabletop products that could stand on their own as games. Darrington Press expanded into role-playing game publishing with Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, released in January 2022. The book revised and substantially expanded the earlier Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, which had been published by Green Ronin Publishing. The new edition became one of the imprint's most recognized releases and won the 2022 ENNIE Gold Award for Best Setting. Other early projects included A Familiar Problem, a short role-playing game written by Grant Howitt and Marisha Ray, and Till the Last Gasp, a two-player narrative confrontation game released in March 2023. The latter received largely favorable reviews for its focused structure and emphasis on collaborative role-play, though some reviewers found its mechanics insufficiently consequential. In 2023, Darrington Press publicly described a broader role-playing strategy. Its State of the Press announcement introduced Illuminated Worlds, intended for shorter campaigns, and Daggerheart, intended for longer fantasy campaigns. The announcement also reported that Guardians of Matrimonia and Syndicult remained in development while Critical Role Adventures had been placed on indefinite hold. Illuminated Worlds became the basis for Candela Obscura, a horror-themed actual-play series and game setting. Darrington Press released the Candela Obscura Quickstart Guide in May 2023 and published the core rulebook later that year. Daggerheart entered open beta in March 2024 and was released in May 2025. The system was positioned as a major in-house fantasy role-playing offering and became closely associated with Critical Role's future tabletop identity. Critical Role also used it in the Age of Umbra limited series, while Darrington Press produced the accompanying Get Your Sheet Together instructional web series. In 2025, the imprint signed a sales and distribution agreement with Macmillan Publishers for United States and international book-channel distribution, supplementing its existing hobby-channel presence. The brand's creative leadership changed significantly in June 2025. Jeremy Crawford joined as Game Director and Chris Perkins as Creative Director, following their long careers at Wizards of the Coast. Matthew Mercer serves as creative advisor, while Travis Willingham is additionally identified as chief executive of Critical Role Productions. Ivan Van Norman, who had led the imprint from its launch period, announced his departure. The appointments strengthened Darrington Press's credentials in mainstream role-playing-game design and signaled an ambition to compete more directly in the broader fantasy tabletop market. Its catalogue now spans licensed and original role-playing syst…

Darrington Press was launched by Critical Role Productions in October 2020 as a dedicated tabletop publishing imprint. The project extended Critical Role's activities beyond livestreamed actual play, animation, merchandise, and fiction into the creation of games intended for direct play by consumers. The name references Taryon Darrington, Sam Riegel's character from Critical Role's first campaign. In the fictional setting, Taryon wrote a book about Vox Machina's exploits, giving the imprint a name that connects the brand's publishing function with the show's internal mythology. At launch, Darrington Press announced a group of board and card games, including Uk'otoa, Critical Role Adventures, Syndicult, and Guardians of Matrimonia. Ivan Van Norman led the imprint, with Matthew Mercer serving as creative advisor. The company stated that it did not plan to rely on crowdfunding for releases. Uk'otoa, a game built around the maritime and monstrous imagery of Critical Role's Exandria, was released in May 2021. Reviewers consistently noted its attractive art, tiles, cards, miniatures, and central Uk'otoa figure. Opinions about the underlying game were divided: some considered it an enjoyable and promising first release, while others viewed it as a visually appealing collector's object with underdeveloped gameplay. The imprint's publishing scope broadened in January 2022 with Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn. The volume reworked the earlier Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting published by Green Ronin Publishing and added substantial setting material, updated factions, threats, and organizations. It was well received for its worldbuilding and production values and won the 2022 ENNIE Gold Award for Best Setting. Darrington Press also released A Familiar Problem for Free RPG Day in June 2022. Written by Grant Howitt and Marisha Ray, the short-form role-playing game was praised for its accessible format, charm, randomness, and open-ended play. In March 2023, the company released Till the Last Gasp, a two-player game centered on dramatic confrontation and collaborative narration. Its reception was mostly positive, with reviewers highlighting its focused structure and ability to create story through a small set of rules. Other criticism argued that the mechanics did not provide enough tangible consequence and that the product occupied an uncertain space between board game and role-playing game. The imprint also announced plans to reprint two previously out-of-print Chronicles of Exandria art books. Darrington Press used its April 2023 State of the Press announcement to clarify its longer-term role-playing strategy. It revealed Illuminated Worlds, designed for shorter campaigns, and Daggerheart, designed for longer fantasy campaigns. Both were scheduled for public playtesting at Gen Con. The announcement said that Syndicult and Guardians of Matrimonia remained in development, while Critical Role Adventures had been placed on indefinite hold. The new systems were viewed as strategically important because Critical Role had a large audience of tabletop role-playing fans and could potentially support an in-house alternative to the Dungeons & Dragons rules used in much of the show's earlier history. Illuminated Worlds became the rules foundation for Candela Obscura, a horror-focused actual-play series announced by Critical Role in May 2023. Darrington Press published the Candela Obscura Quickstart Guide on the series' premiere date and later released the core rulebook in November 2023. Gameplay demonstrations were also held at Gen Con. Daggerheart's open beta began on March 12, 2024, with access through selected game stores, a downloadable PDF, and Demiplane's Daggerheart Nexus, which included digital character-creation tools. Daggerheart reached full release in May 2025. The system became the basis for Critical Role's Age of Umbra limited series, while Darrington Press produced Get Your Sheet Together, a web series explaining how to play. In the same year, the imprint expanded its retail strategy through a sales and distribution agreement with Macmillan Publishers covering the United States and international markets. The arrangement was intended to place Darrington Press role-playing books and backlist titles in the conventional book channel as well as the specialist hobby channel. Leadership changed in June 2025 when Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins joined as Game Director and Creative Director respectively. Both had held prominent design and editorial roles at Wizards of the Coast, including work associated with major Dungeons & Dragons editions. Ivan Van Norman announced his departure as company director. At Gen Con in July 2025, Darrington Press presented planned Daggerheart expansions, including a setting by Crawford, an adventure supplement by Perkins, and a new world by Keith Baker and Jenn Ellis. It also announced a planned September 2025 crowdfunding campaign for a Daggerheart play accessory. The developments positioned Darrington Press as an increasingly significant independent-looking tabletop label within the Critical Role group, with a catalogue combining licensed franchise products and original systems.

• 2025

  Daggerheart is released

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Darrington Press publishes the full Daggerheart role-playing system.

• 2025

  Crawford and Perkins join the imprint

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Jeremy Crawford becomes Game Director and Chris Perkins becomes Creative Director.

• 2024

  Daggerheart open beta begins

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The system enters public testing through physical and digital distribution channels.

• 2023

  Till the Last Gasp is released

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The imprint publishes a two-player narrative confrontation game.

• 2023

  Illuminated Worlds and Daggerheart are announced

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Darrington Press reveals two new role-playing systems and revises the status of earlier projects.

• 2023

  Candela Obscura launches

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The company releases a quickstart guide for the horror-themed setting and system.

• 2022

  Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn is published

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Darrington Press releases a revised and expanded edition of the Exandria campaign setting.

• 2022

  ENNIE recognition

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn wins the ENNIE Gold Award for Best Setting.

• 2021

  Uk'otoa is released

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The nautical-themed board game becomes the imprint's first released title.

• 2020

  Darrington Press launches

  [1]Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Critical Role Productions establishes the imprint for board games, card games, and role-playing products.

A creator-led tabletop publishing imprint combining Critical Role's entertainment properties with original role-playing systems, campaign settings, board games, and narrative play experiences.

• Board game · 2021

  Uk'otoa

  A Critical Role board game set in a nautical environment and built around the Exandrian sea serpent Uk'otoa. The release is notable for elaborate visual design, deck tiles, cards, miniatures, and a large central creature piece. Reviews praised its production and presentation but disagreed about the strength and enjoyment of its gameplay.

• Role-playing game campaign setting · 2022

  Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn

  A revised and expanded sourcebook for the Tal'Dorei region of Critical Role's Exandria setting. It builds on the earlier Green Ronin edition with additional setting material, updated factions, new threats, organizations, characters, and adventure resources. The book received the 2022 ENNIE Gold Award for Best Setting.

• Role-playing game · 2022

  A Familiar Problem

  A short-form role-playing game written by Grant Howitt and Marisha Ray. Designed for accessible, open-ended play, it uses a compact format suitable for introductory sessions, conventions, and Free RPG Day events. Critics highlighted its charm and playful randomness.

• Two-player narrative game · 2023

  Till the Last Gasp

  A two-player tabletop experience focused on a dramatic final confrontation. It combines structured board-game elements with collaborative role-playing and narration. The design received substantial praise for its distinctive format and emotional potential, although some reviewers felt that its mechanics lacked sufficient effect on the developing fiction.

• Horror role-playing game · 2023

  Candela Obscura

  A horror-themed role-playing setting and system associated with Critical Role's Candela Obscura actual-play series. Darrington Press issued a quickstart guide in May 2023 and published the core rulebook in November 2023. The game emphasizes investigative and supernatural storytelling rather than conventional heroic fantasy.

• Fantasy role-playing game · 2025

  Daggerheart

  Darrington Press's long-campaign fantasy role-playing system. It entered open beta in March 2024 and was released in May 2025, with digital character-creation support available through Daggerheart Nexus. The system is central to Critical Role's Age of Umbra actual-play project and is supported by planned settings, adventures, expansions, and accessories.

• 2025

  Expansion into the book distribution channelStrategy

  Background

  Darrington Press sought to extend distribution beyond specialist hobby retailers.

  Action taken

  The imprint signed a United States and international sales and distribution agreement with Macmillan Publishers for its role-playing books and backlist.

  Aftermath

  The agreement was intended to add the conventional book channel to the company's existing hobby-channel distribution.

  Source

• 2025

  New creative leadershipOther

  Background

  Darrington Press entered a period of expansion around Daggerheart and its broader role-playing catalogue.

  Action taken

  Jeremy Crawford joined as Game Director and Chris Perkins as Creative Director, while Ivan Van Norman announced his departure.

  Aftermath

  The appointments brought prominent former Wizards of the Coast design and editorial leadership into the Critical Role publishing group.

  Source

• 2023

  Shift toward original role-playing systemsStrategy

  Background

  After releasing franchise-linked board games and setting books, the imprint sought a larger role in the role-playing-game market.

  Action taken

  Darrington Press announced Illuminated Worlds for shorter campaigns and Daggerheart for longer fantasy campaigns, while placing Critical Role Adventures on indefinite hold.

  Aftermath

  Illuminated Worlds supported Candela Obscura, and Daggerheart proceeded through public testing before its 2025 release.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch without planned crowdfundingStrategy

  Background

  At launch, Darrington Press presented itself as a dedicated Critical Role tabletop imprint with an initial slate of board and card games.

  Action taken

  Ivan Van Norman stated that the imprint did not intend to use crowdfunding for its game releases.

  Aftermath

  The company proceeded with direct publishing and later broadened its catalogue into role-playing systems, books, and accessories.

  Source

1. 1Darrington Pressen.wikipedia.org