Pathfinder dev has "crazy arguments" about bringing the epic RPG series back

Whether it's my subscription to Not Another DnD Podcast (which I maintain is the only reason I've survived ten-hour flights in recent years) or my partner and I's bookshelf which is crammed with monster manuals and adventure modules, it's pretty clear that I have a rather unhealthy obsession with Dungeons and Dragons. It's likely no secret, then, that Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate 3 rank high on my 'most-played games' list, followed by other tabletop-inspired RPGs like Neverwinter Nights and, of course, Pathfinder. But Owlcat, the developer behind the excellent Wrath of the Righteous and Kingmaker, has switched its focus to Warhammer 40k of late, with Rogue Trader releasing in 2023 and the all-new Dark Heresy lurking on the horizon. As Owlcat dives back into the grimdark world of the 41st Millennium, I ask executive producer Anatoly Shestov if the team would ever consider returning to Pathfinder.

Owlcat's last fantasy adventure, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, dropped in 2021 to positive reviews, scoring 83 on Metacritic while currently sitting at a respectable 82% on Steam. Since then, the studio has pivoted to Warhammer 40k games, with Rogue Trader struggling a little bit at launch, but quickly rising to become one of my favorite RPGs ever. Now, the team's focus is Dark Heresy, another grimdark adventure, as well as The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, which is set within Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck's sci-fi universe.

But, in the wake of Baldur's Gate 3's success, DnD games are all the rage, as are CRPGs. It feels like the perfect time to revisit Pathfinder, so I ask Shestov if it's something Owlcat would ever consider doing.

"We take pride in what we made with Pathfinder," he tells me. "We, internally, as creative people, have a pretty decent amount of people who would be happy to work on Pathfinder again. That could be to evolve on the stories there, or maybe do something with their own lore. But, whenever we decide what to do next, one of the most crucial parts of the process is deciding what we're passionate about.

"This time, the passion for Dark Heresy was way bigger than any other passion inside our studio," he recalls. "So whenever we're discussing what to do after Dark Heresy, and we'll be discussing this internally way before its release, there will be some pretty heated discussions - there will be some pretty crazy arguments! There will be some pretty stubborn people trying to influence the decision, and some of these passionate, stubborn people will be working their asses off to achieve us, as a studio, working on Pathfinder again."

"But, I won't promise anything," he says with a smile. "Do we consider [a new Pathfinder game]? Yes, we consider any good option, and this option is one of the best." I do love it when there's a little spark of hope, don't you?

If you're looking for something a little more fantastical than fanatical, we have a guide to all the best fantasy games. Or, if it's the grit and gore of the 41st Millennium that intrigues you, here's a list of all the best space games, some of which are, potentially, a little happier than your average 40k adventure.

Would you like to see a new Pathfinder game? What story would you want it to tell? Let us know on our dedicated Discord server.