Dungeons & Dragonshas had some major talent departures this year, and the latest to leave has just landed at one of its biggest TTRPG competitors. Following the release of the 2024 rules revisions, lead designers Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins leftD&Dearlier this year. The tworeappeared at Darrington Press, theCritical Rolelabel that recently released the TTRPGDaggerheart.
PerPCGamer,Jess Lanzillo, the previousDungeons & Dragonsvice president of franchise & product, has now joined White Wolfas the creative director ofWorld of Darkness. Lanzillo left Wizards of the Coast in June, at the same time asD&Dvideo host Todd Kenreck was laid off from the team. Lanzillo callsWorld of Darknessher “creative north star” in her official statement, emphasizing the importance of"the rich lore, the player agency, the mature themes"as elements she wants to support.
Jess Lanzillo Is The Latest Major D&D Departure
World Of Darkness Is Capitalizing On D&D Shakeups
World of Darknessis an umbrella franchise for a number of TTRPG games, the most famous beingVampire: The Masquerade. While it doesn’t attempt to go one-on-one withD&D’s heroic fantasy flavor, the system can have a lot of appeal for fans ofCurse of Strahdor other gothicD&Dcampaigns. White Wolf is currently under Paradox, the video game publisher known first and foremost for grand strategy titles likeEuropa Universalis, andLanzillo’s acquisition might support furtherWorld of Darknessvideo game venturesor other product expansions.
Wizards of the Coast added job listings for some key positions in June and July, with openings for “Head of Game Ecosystem,” “Principal Game Designer,” “Principal Product Manager” and more viewable on theHasbrowebsite. As of now,it’s still largely unclear who will be stepping into new leadership positions atDungeons & Dragons, although Dan Ayoub was announced as the new Vice President of Franchise this week. A few names were also previously mentioned as designers who would have elevated roles after Crawford and Perkins left.
D&D’s Competitors Are Having A Good Year
One TTRPG’s Loss Is Another’s Gain
It’s hard to say exactly what’s happening inside Wizards of the Coastthis year — Lanzillo herself providedScreen Rantwith the scant details onCrawford and Perkins departing, so we don’t have the same explanation for her own exit. Todd Kenreck being laid off was equally surprising, as he’s been a staple figure in interviews showcasing upcoming products and a familiar face to the dedicated community.
If anyone’s benefiting from these shakeups, it’sD&D’s major competitors, who are getting top talent from the pre-eminent TTRPG. WhileDungeons & Dragonshas had its ups and downs over the last decade, it’s had a lot of successes, and Darrington Press and White Wolf are likely both hoping to replicate some of those accomplishments.
