The team behind the officialDungeons & DragonsVirtual Tabletop (VTT) have given players a first look at their creation which brings the fantasy role playing game to life in a way that closely resembles a video game, complete with 3D environments, character models, and animations.Dungeons & Dragonswas first published in 1974 and has served as inspiration for a number of video games, withseveral being based directly onDungeons & Dragonsitself.
Virtual tabletops aren’t a new phenomenon. There are other services like Roll20 that enable players to embark onepicDungeons & Dragonscampaignsno matter where they are in the world. Some players also use social platforms like Discord for remote virtual play, but the officially supportedDungeons & DragonsVTT seeks to deliver a fun, convenient, and authentic experience that enables an unprecedented level of immersion and utility that integrates directly withD&D Beyond,the official digital companion and tool set for the game’s fifth edition.
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TheDungeons & DragonsVirtual Tabletop is still in the early pre-alpha stage of development, but the development team has given players an impressive first look at the software that could easily be mistaken for a bona fide video game. Currently, the team is focusing on the core gaming experience and integrating the voluminous Fifth Edition rule set into the game but seeks to deliver a final product that allows players to customize their experience as they see fit.Dungeons & Dragonsis often entertainingly whimsical when played in real life, and it seems that the development team is intent on giving players and Dungeon Masters the same flexibility with the Virtual Tabletop.
In another testament to its enduring popularity,Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieveshas been well-receivedas it pulls of the difficult task of capturing theD&Dexperience in a movie format. While fans might still have to wait before they can experience the Virtual Tabletop for themselves, the development team plans to slowly open up play testing in the future.
While theDungeons & DragonsVTT did not get a release date atthis year’s D&D Direct, director Kale Stutzman has stated that the team is focusing on content and play “for the rest of the year,” so it is safe to assume that it won’t be released until at least 2024 or possibly even later, however this is purely speculation based on current information.
