The Revival of CRPGs 🎮

*The CRPG Renaissance*

“CRPGs are dead” – used to be a common sentiment. Now, we’ve seen a rise in CRPGs that started back in 2013. In this video, I cover the return of CRPGs, the most influential studios, as well as the possible future outlook of the genre.

Patreon: https://patreon.com/NotSoCasualYT

*Chapters:*
0:00 Intro
0:29 The Death of CRPGs
2:59 Welcome to Kickstarter - inXile Entertainment
6:47 Obsidian and Pillars of Eternity
10:15 There’s More to CRPGs Than Interplay
11:13 Shadowrun and Harebrained Schemes
13:38 Larian and Divinity: Original Sin
17:00 The Results of the First Wave of the CRPG Renaissance
18:20 Owlcat and Pathfinder
23:39 Too Good to Be True?
24:32 Sometimes, Evil Wins
25:36 The Rise of Larian
26:59 Problems at Obsidian
29:30 Why Larian Succeeded and Where Obsidian Failed
31:10 The Wave of Acquisitions
33:40 ZA/UM’s Self-Destruction
35:07 It’s Time for Baldur’s Gate 3
36:36 Who Can Keep Up with Larian?
37:51 The Risky Business and Future of CRPGs
39:57 A Hopeful Conclusion

More about NotSoCasual and behind the scenes:
👉 patreon.com/NotSoCasualYT

*Sources:*
Kickstarter:
kickstarter.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcR_UHV0tKE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqW3pwY1en0
Double Fine:
https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleFineProd
Owlcat Games:https://www.youtube.com/@OwlcatGames
Larian:https://www.youtube.com/@LarianStudios
Harebrained Schemes:https://www.youtube.com/@webeharebrained
inXile Entertainment:
https://www.youtube.com/@inXile_ent
Obsidian Entertainment:
https://www.youtube.com/@ObsidianEnt
People Make Games - Disco Elysium:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGIGA8taN-M&t=7135s
Game Camp - Robert Kurvitz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqYGh078W0I&t=223s
GameSpot - Robert Kurvitz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0-W5erEXw&t=152s
Shadowrun gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tha-O0masrU&t=98s

*Articles:*
Interplay troubles: https://www.shacknews.com/article/23029/interplay-troubles
https://www.unseen64.net/tag/black-isle-studios/
Microsoft closing:
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-is-closing-down-xbox-studio-the-initiative
GameSpot:
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pillars-of-eternity-dev-says-deadfire-sales-were-l/1100-6471333/
PCGamer:
https://www.pcgamer.com/josh-sawyer-the-most-compromised-games-i-worked-on-were-pillars-of-eternity-1-and-2/
Josh Sawyer social media posts:https://www.tumblr.com/jesawyer/188915786456/will-there-be-a-pillars-3
https://x.com/jesawyer
Vidogameschronicle:https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/paradox-calls-the-lamplighters-league-sales-a-big-disappointment/
Game World Observer:
https://gameworldobserver.com/2024/03/18/rpg-budgets-owlcat-cannot-invest-200-million-to-make-bg3
https://gameworldobserver.com/2023/08/03/larian-road-to-success-bankruptcy-risks-baldurs-gate-3

*Music Sorted by Games:*
*Baldur's Gate*
Baldur's Gate – Main Theme
*Baldur's Gate 3*
Main Theme Part I
The Power (Orchestral Version)
I Want To Live (Classical Version)
*Divinity: Original Sin*
Main Theme
*Divinity: Original Sin 2*
Main Theme
Ifan's Theme: Mead, Gold and Blood
Lohse's Theme (Black Bull Version)
*Disco Elysium*
Instrument of Surrender
Krenel Downwell / Somatosensor
The Cryptozoologists
Whirling-In-Rags (8 AM)
*Fallout 3*
Boogie Man
*Neverwinter Nights*
Main Theme
*Pathfinder: Kingmaker*
The Beginning (Slightly Extended)
*Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous*
The Myth Begins (Slightly Extended)
*Pillars of Eternity*
Title Theme
Defiance Bay
Inn B
*Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire*
Main Theme
The Sea and Her Love
*Shadowrun Hong Kong*
Hard Landing
The Walled City
*Shadowrun Returns*
Puppet Master
*Tyranny*
Ascension Hall
Fatebinder
*Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader*
Main Theme
*Wasteland 2*
The Underground
*Wasteland 3*
Little Vegas Bar
Under Ice
Washed in the Blood of the Lamb (Instrumental)

(All rights belong to their respective composers and studios)

CTC