Queen by Midnight is a new battle royale deck-building game that launches this summer. | Source: Darrington Press

With new original game announcements, reprints, and Gen Con 2023 plans, Darrington Press’s inaugural “State of the Press” YouTube video was full of excitement for fans.

Featuring Matthew Mercer and Mica Burton, the State of the Press for Critical Role’s publishing arm revealed three new games that will join its portfolio of tabletop titles. 

Queen by Midnight, a new battle royale deck-building game, launches this summer in the Critical Role shops, Darrington Press Guild stores, and other local game stores. In this game, developed by Kyle Shire, fans play as powerful princesses battling it out in a magical free-for-all. Once the clock strikes midnight, the princess who is left standing will be crowned the next Midnight Queen. Each character has their own vibe and playstyle, so there’s something for everyone, even if you’re not familiar with deck-building games.

The Illuminated Worlds System is a new, d6 dice pool created by Stras Ascimovic and Layla Alderman. The game is designed for much shorter, arc-driven campaigns and is flexible enough to be used with any type of setting. More information about Illuminated Worlds will be released soon.

Matthew Mercer and Mica Burton hosted the State of the Press. | Source: Darrington Press

Daggerheart is a fresh update to the fantasy genre of role-playing game (RPG). The game is designed for long-term campaign play and character progression. More information on Daggerheart will also be available at a later date.

Both the new deck-building board game and the two new RPG systems will have playable public demos at Gen Con in August. 

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The State of the Press also revealed that the previously announced Guardians of Matrimonia is set to officially release early next year. This game of fantastical wedding planning was originally designed for Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray’s wedding. More details on the project will be available closer to the launch. 

Furthermore, The Chronicles of Exandria I: The Tale of Vox Machina, and The Chronicles of Exandria II: The Legend of Vox Machina art books are both receiving reprints under the Darrington Press banner this year.

With these new games, reprints, and Gen Con plans for later this year, Critical Role fans will have a lot to look forward to in the coming months. You can watch the full State of the Press video below.

About the author

Maggie Dougherty

Maggie Dougherty

Maggie Dougherty is an editorial intern at Adventure Media & Events. She is a senior at Iona University in New Rochelle, New York, where she studies digital media and production. In her free time, Maggie can be found watching Conan O’Brien videos on YouTube, reading biographies of Lyndon B. Johnson, or listening to the Succession soundtrack.

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