The Revival of CRPGs 🎮
Once declared dead, CRPGs have experienced a renaissance since 2013. Explore the resurgence of this beloved genre in our latest video.

Not So Casual
16.5K views • Jul 26, 2025

About this video
*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
“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
Video Information
Views
16.5K
Likes
764
Duration
41:01
Published
Jul 26, 2025
User Reviews
4.6
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