Darrington Press

• 1. Founding And Leadership

  ›

  October 2020 marked the launch of Darrington Press, a new tabletop game imprint owned by Critical Role Productions. Ivan Van Norman led the initial operations while Matthew Mercer served as creative advisor. The company announced four games at its debut: Uk'otoa, Critical Role Adventures, Syndicult, and Guardians of Matrimonia. Van Norman stated clearly that they would not use crowdfunding for any releases. This decision set them apart from many peers in the hobby gaming industry who relied on Kickstarter campaigns to fund development. The label took its name from Taryon Darrington, a fictional character played by Sam Riegel during the first campaign of Critical Role. In-universe, this character published a book detailing his adventures with the adventuring party known as Vox Machina.

• 2. Product Development History

  ›

  Uk'otoa arrived in May 2021 as a semi-cooperative card game designed by Jeb Havens and Gabriel Hicks. Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn followed in January 2022, expanding the Exandria setting for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. A one-page roleplaying game called A Familiar Problem released for Free RPG Day in June 2022. Till the Last Gasp launched in March 2023 as a two-player board game created by Will Hindmarch and Alex Roberts. Candela Obscura Quickstart Guide appeared on the 25th of May 2023, introducing both the new horror-themed setting and its Illuminated Worlds system. Queen by Midnight arrived in August 2023, while Caper Cards: Bell's Hells came out in October 2023. The core rulebook for Candela Obscura was released in November 2023. For the Queen 2E followed in May 2024, and The Marauders of Windfall served as a free adventure module during the Daggerheart open beta playtest starting the 12th of March 2024. Daggerheart itself hit shelves in May 2025, with Solar Gardens arriving later that July.

• 3. Critical Reception Analysis

  ›

  Polygon reviewer Charles Theel described Uk'otoa as visually attractive but lacking fun gameplay mechanics. He noted it chewed up half an hour without delivering meaningful engagement. Tommy Williams of GeekTyrant disagreed, calling it a great start to Darrington Press’ library despite mixed opinions. IGN’s Jonathon Dornbush praised the card art and box design, noting how the meeples offered bespoke terror suited to the scene. Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn won the Gold Award for Best Setting at the 2022 ENNIE Awards. Chris King from Polygon called it "the Silmarillion of campaign settings" and highlighted its 150-page expansion over the original edition. Benjamin Abbott of GamesRadar+ compared it to lavish companion books for franchises like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Till the Last Gasp received polarized reviews; Andrew Stretch of TechRaptor called it unique while James van Tonningen of Gaming Trend dismissed it as an empty shell misunderstanding roleplaying games. Jenny Melzer of CBR praised For the Queen 2E for its stunning visuals and respect toward creators within the gaming community.

• 4. Strategic Industry Shifts

  ›

  June 2025 brought major personnel changes when Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins joined Darrington Press. Crawford became Game Director while Perkins took Creative Director roles, mirroring their previous positions at Wizards of the Coast. Travis Willingham stepped down as CEO of Critical Role Productions after serving in that capacity since the company's early days. Van Norman also announced his departure during this transition period. GamesRadar+’s Benjamin Abbott described hiring these two designers as a significant coup given their decades-long involvement with Dungeons & Dragons fourth and fifth editions. Gizmodo’s James Whitbrook noted the move represented a wild changing of the guard where one of D&D’s biggest growth examples would directly challenge its former architects. Charles Harte of Game Informer stated that Darrington Press’s pedigree increased significantly by bringing them aboard. At Gen Con in July 2025, the imprint revealed multiple upcoming expansions including new settings created by Crawford and adventure supplements designed by Perkins.

• 5. Distribution Partnerships

  ›

  May 2025 saw Darrington Press sign a sales agreement with Macmillan Publishers covering U.S. and international markets. This deal expanded distribution beyond hobby channels into book retail markets previously inaccessible to most tabletop game publishers. Lin Codega of Rascal pointed out the agreement included both Daggerheart and backlist titles from the imprint. The partnership aimed to reach readers through traditional bookstore shelves rather than just specialty gaming stores. By August 2023, the label had already begun running gameplay sessions for Candela Obscura at Gen Con before releasing its core rulebook later that November. The open beta playtest for Daggerheart started the 12th of March 2024, available via PDF or on Demiplane through the Nexus platform which included digital character creation tools. An Age of Umbra limited series began airing in May 2025 featuring cast members playing Daggerheart within Mercer's campaign frame. A Kickstarter scheduled for September 2025 would launch a Daggerheart play accessory.