The launch of Project Sigil, Wizards of the Coast’s ambitious Virtual Tabletop (VTT), has been anything but smooth. A leaked message obtained by Rascal News has revealed internal turmoil, including layoffs, policy changes, and an overall rocky debut. This controversy comes on the heels of the immense success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the surprisingly well-received release of the controversial 2024 rules update. For many, this shaky launch has damaged the goodwill earned in the wake of their divisive push against the Open Games License (OGL), reigniting concerns about the future of Wizards of the Coast (WotC).
Videos by ComicBook.com
What is Project Sigil?
Project Sigil was intended to be WotC’s official digital tabletop experience, designed in Unreal Engine to offer an all-encompassing D&D experience with the aid of DnDBeyond for character creation and purchasing supplemental material. Sigil was initially premiered on the official D&D YouTube channel, via a live game session at GenCon in celebration of Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary. The session, which previewed the 2024 rules update and featured a star-studded cast from the TTRPG Community:
- Aabria Iyengar as DM
- Anjali Bhimani as Miriannan, Human Evocation Wizard
- Brennan Lee Mulligan as Dorbin Kragstone, Dwarven Life Cleric
- Neil Newbon as Astarion, Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue
- Samantha Béart as Karlach, Tiefling Barbarian
Upper management seemingly held high hopes for this project, boasting about Sigil’s potential as essentially a standalone games platform that could provide access to other IP from across Hasbro’s expansive catalogue. However, internal disagreements and poor launch performance highlighted significant shortcomings that may hinder this project’s future.
A Critical Failure?
Despite the hype, Project Sigil is reported to struggle to perform on common consumer hardware, making it difficult for groups with older hardware to run the game smoothly. The platform’s codependency with D&D Beyond for all mechanics and assets also means players are effectively locked into WotC’s ecosystem. This marriage between systems stirs concern over possible aggressive monetization practices being implemented down the line, particularly the possibility of predatory microtransactions and paywalling essential content.
These issues are further compounded by broader changes at Hasbro concerning the use of AI-driven content. During a recent conference, Hasbro Ceo Chris Cocks stated the following concerning the use-case of AI: “The themes around using AI to enable user-generated content, using AI to streamline new player introduction, using AI for emergent storytelling — I think you’re going to see that not just with our hardcore brands like D&D but also multiple of our brands.” This statement further solidified many customer concerns over the quality and abundance of artificial content soon to populate Sigils’ in-game storefront.
Regardless, while some of Sigil’s shortcomings could have been resolved over time, the project’s fate has taken a drastic blow in the form of a massive layoff of key staff. Andrew Collins, a 15-year veteran designer at Wizards, was among those affected, and reports indicate that nearly 90% of the Sigil team has been let go. The project is now being relegated to a D&D Beyond bonus feature, maintained by a crew of just a handful of individuals.
Where Do Players Go From Here?
With Project Sigil on the brink, many players are looking at alternatives. For those interested, established platforms like Roll20, TaleSpire, and Tabletop Simulator offer viable alternatives for the digital tabletop experience. Whether Sigil can recover from this disastrous launch remains to be seen, but in its current state, Dungeon Masters and players alike may prefer to look elsewhere.
