Thanks to the runaway success ofBaldur’s Gate 3, there’s arguably never been a time when both the CRPG genre and theDungeons & DragonsIP were more popular. Previously confined to a relative niche within the wider umbrella of role-playing games,Baldur’s Gate 3has inspired new players to go back and revisit games in the CRPG genre, both current and classic, discovering that deep character customization, rich role-playing systems, and rewarding turn-based combat are hallmarks of games bearing the CRPG moniker. Now, theDungeons & DragonsIP would do well to unearth this buried treasure of its past for future video game releases.
Larian Studios and its founder Swen Vincke have been transparent about the massive undertaking necessary to produce agame likeBaldur’s Gate 3, and it’s a safe bet that the next game bearing theBaldur’s Gatename will be several years out, if not more. However, losing the momentum and attention thatBaldur’s Gate 3has brought to theDungeons & Dragonslicense would be a missed opportunity on the part of Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast. As players eagerly await another AAA RPG set in theD&Duniverse, smaller, more retro-inspired titles might be the perfect holdover.
The Dungeons & Dragons “Gold Box” Games Are Fertile Ground for the IP
The “Gold Box” games are a series of titles released between 1988 and 1992 utilizingtheDungeons & Dragonslicenseand produced by Strategic Simulations. While several developers worked on the more than a dozen titles that make up the “Gold Box” legacy, these games are characterized both by their trademark engine (aptly named the “Gold Box Engine”) and their signature gold packaging bearing the TSR logo (the then-owner of theDungeons & DragonsIP). Even though these games were limited by the constraints of the technology available at the time, it’s no surprise to learn that many players look back fondly on the “Gold Box” titles as their first forays into digital role-playing.
After years of being relegated to the annals of history, theGold Box gamesfinally made their way to Steam in 2022. Not counting theBuck Rodgersgames produced by the Gold Box initiative, 11 of the “Gold Box” titles use theDungeons & Dragonslicense in the loosely connected series, with each one of them rife with potential for a modern-day remake. These titles include:
Skald: Against the Black Priory Shows Players Still Enjoy the “Gold Box” Style of RPG
Aside from players showing a renewed interest inDungeons & Dragons, the “Gold Box”-style of role-playing games has a modern entry from earlier in 2024 that garnered plenty of acclaim from those who played it. An obvious homage to both the “Gold Box"Dungeons & Dragonsgames andtheUltimaseries,Skald: Against the Black Priorywas a surprise indie release in 2024 that immediately drew attention from fans of CRPGs, turn-based tactics, Lovecraftian fiction, and late-80s computer games.
Rather than divert all resources for the IP to the development of a new AAA game using theD&Dlicense, Hasbro and WotC could take advantage of the series' history across video games and the success ofSkaldby making new, old-schoolD&Dgames. Better yet, the company could enlist the help ofSkald’s developer, High North Games, to deliver a new RPG experience that understands the atmosphere, mechanics, and aesthetic of the older classics.
