Critical Role Co-Publishes Indie Rock Management RPG Rockbeasts
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Critical Role is partnering with indie developer LICHTHUND to co-publish Rockbeasts, a 1990s-set rock management RPG launching in 2027 that features rhythm gameplay and familiar voice talent.
Critical Role is expanding its interactive footprint once again, teaming up with indie studio LICHTHUND to co-publish the upcoming title Rockbeasts. Slated for a 2027 release on Steam, the game drops players into an alternative 1990s America as the manager of a gritty up-and-coming band trying to make the leap from garage rehearsals to stadium tours. Beyond the core management and resource-juggling mechanics, the gameplay mixes choice-driven storytelling with rhythm-based concert performances where every note and decision shapes the band's trajectory.
For a production company known best for table-top actual plays and animated adaptations like The Legend of Vox Machina, this move signals a serious commitment to the games industry. The project leans heavily on narrative weight, forcing players to navigate cutthroat record labels, jaded executives, and internal band drama. It follows the massive success of Dispatch, a comedy superhero project that involved Critical Role's core cast and moved over a million copies in just ten days.
Fans of the collective can expect plenty of familiar vocal talent in Rockbeasts alongside some heavy-hitting music industry royalty. The main cast of Critical Role founders is lending their voices to the project, and punk icon Iggy Pop is attached to the cast in a yet-to-be-detailed role. By blending a hyper-specific aesthetic with deep RPG systems and creator-driven star power, Critical Role is building a cross-media bridge that speaks directly to modern digital fandoms.
Tags: Critical Role, RPG, Indie Games, Steam
Original article: Polygon