New Dungeons & Dragons Game Needs to Learn From a Recent LOTR Mistake

Every time a new video game is announced for a beloved IP, fans get excited, but also fear that the source material won’t be respected. The Lord of the Rings is one such franchise that has seen multiple bad or okay games. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria failed to live up to the lofty expectations the IP instills in fans. Sadly, this problem isn’t exclusive to The Lord of the Rings, as it is also a major issue with Dungeons & Dragons. This has led to a lot of speculation about what the upcoming cozy Dungeons & Dragons game by Gameloft, the team behind Disney Dreamlight Valley, will be.  

A cozy game in the Dungeons & Dragons universe has huge potential to pay off, and I am excited to see what direction Gameloft goes with this. However, after seeing the mixed reception of The Lord of the Rings: Tales of the Shire, I am a little hesitant. Just because I love the D&D IP doesn’t mean the game will be good. Just look at Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, which was generally considered a failure. But learning from The Lord of the Rings’ cozy game could give Gameloft the help it needs to deliver a charming and fun title in the Forgotten Realms.

Keep the Heart of D&D Without the Combat Grind

When most people think of Dungeons & Dragons, combat and role-playing are typically the first things that come to mind. Rolling dice, casting fireball, and dungeon crawls are an iconic part of the experience. But this isn’t what I want in a cozy D&D game. It doesn’t need to shoehorn in combat or require grind, but instead focus on charming characters, satisfying gameplay loops, and the heart of this cooperative role-playing game.

These elements need to be carefully crafted and given the attention they need. Tales of the Shire was criticized harshly for its empty and dull gameplay, showing what happens when you just slap cozy on a brand. Gameloft needs to deliver an experience that feels like a living, breathing fantasy world where choices matter. Disney Dreamlight Valley manages to accomplish this fairly well, but it even feels like a bubble compared to the scope of a D&D game.

Gameloft can opt for many different routes when designing the setting. One choice is that players could be in charge of a tavern that serves adventurers between quests. The tavern could be set in a small but growing town that the player helps build up in various ways. Problems and quests could be solved through dialogue and clever decision-making rather than combat. Indirectly supporting heroes by offering food and comfort, gathering and selling supplies, and even crafting magic could create an ecosystem that avoids combat while still honoring its place in Dungeons & Dragons.

Lean Into Dungeons & Dragons’ Storytelling, Community, and Creativity

One of the most defining features of Dungeons & Dragons is its storytelling and sense of community. Sitting around the table, creating adventures, and sharing laughs is the core of the game. A cozy D&D game should reflect this spirit by focusing on narrative depth and personal creativity rather than trying to replicate a typical campaign. These core elements should captivate players like a D&D game should, something Tales of the Shire failed to do for The Lord of the Rings fans.

I want a game where you’re not just running an inn, but listening to the stories adventurers share. Deciding which travelers to host, help them rest and recover, or even gather rumors to assign quests. This would paint a larger picture of the world beyond your village and inn. Instead of combat, the tension and joy could come from how you respond to these characters and how your choices affect them.

Gameloft can include expansive customization options. Designing the inn and tavern, decorating the space, and even hosting festivals or gatherings would make the world feel more personal. This would allow players to leave their mark on the world and make it feel authentic to Dungeons & Dragons. There could even be a way to share creations with other players through multiplayer, perhaps even visit their taverns.

Make Exploration and World-Building Relaxing, Not Stressful

One of the key pitfalls of Tales of the Shire was that its cozy mechanics were dull and repetitive, and its world felt shallow and disconnected from Middle-earth. It lacked a sense of progression and discovery, falling into a poorly implemented loop of farming and crafting. Ultimately, it offered nothing new or of note, other than its setting, and even that failed to live up to expectations. Gameloft has to do better with Dungeons & Dragons.

If it were up to me, I’d approach a cozy D&D game as slowly growing your inn and town into a hub for adventures. I picture a small village on the outskirts of civilization that begins as little more than a few buildings and residents. But as the business grows, the town could expand with new shops, and new residents could move in. More and more adventurers would visit to explore nearby dungeons or defeat monsters. These could become regulars, allowing you to befriend them and possibly even romance them.

Exploration could extend beyond the village walls as well while still maintaining cozy vibes. Players could have a garden or farm, forage herbs and spell components in nearby forests, explore ruins and solve light puzzles, or even befriend magical creatures. These elements would not only create cozy mechanics but fulfill Gameloft’s goals of “unique cooperative gameplay built around an innovative hybrid of survival, life simulation, and action RPG.”

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