Critical Role Celebrates a Decade of Dice, Drama, and Dedicated Fans
The Stars Of Critical Role Gathered At Ign Live To Commemorate Their 10Th Anniversary, Reflecting On Their Unforeseen Success And Offering Teasing Glimpses Into The Future.
A Decade Of Unforeseen Success
What began as a group of friends playing Dungeons & Dragons has blossomed into a global phenomenon. During a celebratory panel at Ign Live, core members of Critical Role, including Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Liam O’Brien, Laura Bailey, and Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer, shared anecdotes and future plans moderated by Amelia Emberwing.
The Group Never Anticipated The Immense Popularity critical Role would Achieve. Willingham Recalled The Moment He Realized The Show’s Potential. “The First year,When More Then 5000 People Were Watching An Episode,I Was Like ‘Uh Oh!’ Because I Never Expected That And Then The Number Kept Growing.” He Added That Convention Appearances And A Comic Book further Solidified The Reality Of their Success.
Ray Echoed This Sentiment, Highlighting Their First Convention Appearance. “We Didn’t Understand The Difference Between Concurrent Viewers And Total Viewers,” She Laughed,Recalling Their Underestimation Of Their Fan Base. “Then We Went To The Conventions And There Were So Many People And it was Like ‘How Are You All Watching!?'”
Hilarious Moments And Cast Camaraderie
The Panel Recounted Many Humorous Moments From Their Years Of Playing Together. The Word “Quiff” Was A Recurring Joke, With Mercer Playfully insisting “Look, Quiff Is A Nonsense Word That Has No True Definition!” Ray Also Recalled A Moment When Mercer Said, “Spread Your Legs And Stretch Your Wings,” Which Elicited Laughter From The Group, Though Mercer Defended His Original Intention.
While Ashley Johnson And Sam Riegel Could Not Attend the Panel, The Other Members Spoke Highly Of Them.O’Brien Joked, “I Commend Ashley For Sticking To The Bit Of Using Dice She Can’t See. It’s A Real Leap of Faith!” Mercer Praised Johnson’s Untapped Talent, While Ray Noted, “Ashley’s Low key The Funniest Person I Know As She’s Not Trying To Be Funny.”
O’Brien Described Riegel As “One Of The Hardest Workers I’ve Ever Met,” And Jaffe Joked That Riegel is so Busy That He Must Have A Twin.
The Impact Of Fans And Future Projects
The Cast Emphasized The Profound Impact That Fans have Had On Critical Role. Bailey Recalled The Early Days When “I’d Go On Social Media And see Immediate Fan Art Of What Had Just Happened And It Was Mind Blowing.It Was Cyclical And It would Effect How I Saw Things When I Saw Someone’s Visual Of It.”
Willingham Joked About Using Fan Theories To Develop Backstories, While Jaffe admitted To Avoiding Online Content, Though He Acknowledged that “The Cosplay Though And The Art Gets In My Head And Stays There.”
Animated series And Beyond
Critical Role Is Set To Release Their Second Animated Series, Mighty Nein, Soon. Willingham Explained that This Series Will differ From The Legend Of Vox Machina By Focusing On characters Who Are Not Initially Familiar With Each Other. “Come Together And Finding Out Maybe They Don’t Fit Together That Well,” He Noted.
he Added,”We’ve Recorded The Entire First And Second Season And We’re Going To Hit All The Moments You As Fans And We As Players And GMs Want To See,” Promising Updates This Summer. bailey Mentioned The Cast Watched The First Three Episodes Together and Were Very Pleased With The Outcome.
Willingham Hinted At Future Plans For Existing Characters, Stating, “We Look back At The Last Ten Years Of Stories And We Have No Intention Of Leaving Those Characters Alone, whether It Be In An Animated Series Or A feature Or [Something Else].”
The Group Has Also Been Teasing Video Game And Interactive Projects. Willingham Revealed, “The First Offering That Will Be Coming Out Later This Year Is Not Something Set In Exandria. It’s Not Critical Role IP, Though Those Projects Are Coming. We’ll Have more Information On That This Summer.”
During A Fan Q&A, Bailey Shared A Humorous Anecdote About Being Frustrated With Mercer As A Dungeon Master During Her Pregnancy. O’brien Noted That His Only Frustration was When Mercer Doesn’t Take Breaks, While Willingham Joked “I Don’t Get Frustrated With You. Work Forever!”
Jaffe Suggested To mercer “You Could Be Meaner Sometimes. Like Hit Harder!” To Which Mercer Replied,”I’ll Remember That!”
Critical Role: A Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2012 | The Cast Begins Playing D&D Privately |
| 2015 | Critical Role Officially Starts Streaming On Geek & Sundry |
| 2018 | Critical Role Launches Its Own Self-reliant Company,Critical Role Productions |
| 2019 | The Kickstarter Campaign For “The Legend Of Vox Machina” Animated Series Breaks Records |
| 2022 | “The Legend Of Vox machina” Premiers On Amazon Prime Video |
| 2024 | Critical Role Celebrates Its 10Th Anniversary And Prepares For The Release Of “Mighty Nein” |
the Enduring Appeal of Critical Role
Critical Role‘s success isn’t just about the game; it’s about the storytelling,the characters,and the community. The cast’s genuine friendship and their ability to weave compelling narratives have captivated audiences worldwide.
Beyond entertainment, Critical Role has had a significant impact on the tabletop gaming community. it has inspired countless people to pick up dice and create their own stories, fostering a sense of creativity and connection.
Pro Tip: Consider joining a local D&D group or starting your own. It’s a fantastic way to socialize, improve your storytelling skills, and have fun!
Frequently Asked questions About Critical Role
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What is Critical Role?
Critical Role Is A Web Series Where Voice Actors play Dungeons & Dragons. it Has Grown From A Small Group Playing For Fun Into A Massive Multimedia Phenomenon, Spawning Animated Series, Comics, And More. -
When did Critical Role start?
Critical role Officially Began Streaming In March 2015, But The Group Had Been Playing Together For Several Years Prior To That. -
Who are the main cast members of Critical Role?
The Main Cast Includes Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray, Liam O’Brien, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, And Sam Riegel. Each Brings unique Talents And personalities To The game. -
What is ‘Mighty Nein,’ and how does it relate to Critical Role?
‘Mighty nein’ Is The Name Of The second Campaign Played By The Critical Role Cast. It Is Also The Title Of Their Second Animated Series, Which Is Highly Anticipated By Fans. -
Are there any upcoming Critical Role video game projects?
Yes, Critical Role Has Announced That They Are Working On Video Game Projects. The First Offering Will Not Be Set In Exandria, But It Is Still Under The Critical Role IP. More Information Is Expected This Summer.
What’s your favorite Critical Role moment? Which character do you identify with the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
