D&D’s Legendary Game Director is Hanging Up His Dice

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Summary

  • Jeremy Crawford, known for leading 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, is leaving Wizards of the Coast after 18 years.
  • The loss of Crawford and Perkins won’t affect the game’s schedule, as their departures were planned.
  • Crawford’s departure follows the successful completion of the 2024 rules refresh for Dungeons and Dragons.

Jeremy Crawford, who has been the game director for “Dungeons and Dragons” at Wizards of the Coast for 18 years, is set to depart from his role later this month. Known for overseeing the updated version of the 5th Edition of “Dungeons and Dragons”, Crawford will soon part ways with the tabletop role-playing game team. Despite his departure, the game’s ongoing release schedule should remain unaffected.

Nowadays, Jeremy Crawford is undeniably associated with the game “Dungeons and Dragons.” Beyond being a key figure in its development, he’s one of the most visible representatives of the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG). You’ll often find him alongside Chris Perkins, the previous creative director of “Dungeons and Dragons,” who left the company back in April, in various videos, discussions, and media appearances.

It appears that Crawford, a long-time developer for D&D’s 5th edition, will soon be leaving Wizards of the Coast and joining his friend and former colleague. As confirmed by Jess Lanzillo, Vice President of Franchise and Product at Dungeons & Dragons, Crawford’s last day with the company will occur later this month. Similar to Perkins, this departure is a deliberate and voluntary choice made by Crawford, who has successfully completed the final book in the 2024 rules refresh for D&D. After 18 years of dedicated service to the game, Crawford is choosing to move on.

Jeremy Crawford to Depart Dungeons and Dragons Soon

Initially, Crawford made his mark within the tabletop RPG scene through Green Ronin Publishing, contributing to projects like ‘Blue Rose’, ‘Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying’, and ‘Mutants & Masterminds’. Subsequently, in 2007, he joined Wizards of the Coast as a game designer during the ‘4th Edition’, eventually rising to the position of rules manager and later co-leading the development of ‘5th Edition’ alongside Mike Mearls. His tenure at Wizards of the Coast saw ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ becoming more inclusive and welcoming, an ethos he continued in his capacity as game director for the 2024 versions of the ‘Player’s Handbook’, ‘Dungeon Master’s Guide’, and ‘Monster Manual’.

Currently, it’s uncertain who will assume the executive positions previously held by Crawford and Perkins. Lanzillo hinted at potential replacements such as James Wyatt, Wes Schneider, and Justice Arman, stating that they could play more significant roles in the future following the departures of key figures at Wizards of the Coast. It’s said that both Crawford and Perkins trust the teams they are handing over to, as these team members have been taking on increasingly important roles in various projects over the past few years.

Despite catching the community off guard, it appears these changes were being planned within Wizards of the Coast for quite a while. Regarding the future plans for Dungeons and Dragons in 2025, rest assured that the departure of Crawford and Perkins won’t disrupt them. The calendar is still filled with thrilling sourcebooks set to be launched throughout the year.

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2025-04-11 23:54