Japan’s largest gaming festival, the “Tokyo Game Show,” has come to a successful close.
While exciting new announcements were made, many of you are probably feeling a bit of post-event blues.
With so many new titles on the way from the second half of 2026 through 2027, there’s no time to be down!
Now, we’ve conducted an interview with the developers of the latest title from Wizards of the Coast (hereinafter WotC), “Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons”!
They explained the game’s D&D-inspired world and its unique element system.
Interview with the Developers of “Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons”!
WotC is the company behind the trading card game “Magic: The Gathering” and the tabletop RPG “Dungeons & Dragons,” among other titles.
"Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons" is an open-world action-adventure game currently in development by "Invoke Studios," a game studio under the WotC umbrella.
For this special feature, we sat down with Jeff Hattem, WotC’s Vice President of Creative, to learn about the gameplay and ask him about the aspects we were most curious about.
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The protagonist of this game is Kaatori, a battle-hardened warrior.
To find someone dear to her, she enters into a dangerous pact with the witch Tasha.
Kaatori has gained the power to wield magic as a warlock.<n
The story is set in “Darkon.”
You’ll forge your path by mastering every element that exists in this world.
For example, if a tree vine is blocking your way, throw a lantern to set it on fire, then douse it with water to clear a path.
If a staircase has collapsed, I’ll attach nearby rubble to the wall to create a foothold and make my way through.
In this world, spells aren’t just for combat— they also serve as tools for exploration and solving puzzles.
There are many types of spells, and you can acquire new ones through exploration.
Large-scale spells, such as those that change the weather, are cast by performing rituals.
After making it rain to soak the enemies, the effectiveness of lightning spells increased.
Apparently, there are quite a few synergies like this available.
As you can see, the Elements are a crucial part of this game—you could even call them its backbone.
It’s clear that approaching both puzzles and combat with a flexible mindset is essential.
As you progress through your adventure, you’ll acquire new spells as well as equipment.
Talk to the blacksmith in the settlement to upgrade your equipment.
Although the protagonist, Kaatori, does not have a “character level,” she gains greater power by acquiring new spells and equipment and upgrading them.
In the gameplay footage that has already been released, you can see the protagonist effectively using various spells to restrain enemies or turn them against each other.
When asked a straightforward question about the game’s actual difficulty level , the developer replied, “We currently offer four difficulty levels, and the levels are designed so that players, along with Kaatori, can master the spells. Additionally, some of the advanced spells can slow down the flow of time.”
You can lower the difficulty to enjoy the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
Or you can throw yourself into fierce battles in a world of swords and sorcery.
The freedom unique to an open-world game offers players a wealth of choices.
When it comes to open worlds, transportation is always a point of interest.
While this game does feature fast travel, there are no mounts available, so you’ll basically be traveling on foot.
However, since all kinds of activities are densely packed throughout the world, the game is designed so you won’t get bored even while traveling.
We asked about the game’s scope, endgame content, and current development status.
We also asked about other points of interest in a candid Q&A, so here’s a roundup of everything we covered.
Q. Is this game based on a specific historical period?
This work is set in the world of “Dungeons & Dragons.”
Therefore, it is portrayed as a fantasy world that isn’t modeled after any specific historical era.
Q. The UI looks simple—was that intentional?
We’ve simplified the UI in the demo video.
In the actual game, we plan to allow players to customize the UI, giving them the option to choose between a display that shows more information and one that’s simpler.
Q. Will enemy HP bars be displayed?
We are still considering whether to display HP bars by default for all enemies.
However, we do plan to display HP bars for more powerful monsters.
Q. I understand that players can move freely throughout the open-world environment—will it be possible to go to high-difficulty areas right from the start of the game?
Yes. Even in the early stages of the game, you may find yourself wandering into extremely difficult areas.
On the other hand, there are also areas in this world that you cannot enter until you acquire specific magical abilities.
While we’ve provided multiple solutions for many challenges, there are some locations you simply cannot reach until you obtain the necessary magic.
Q. How long is the game overall?
It depends on your playstyle, but we expect that completing the main story alone will take several dozen hours.
Q. Is there any so-called endgame content available after completing the main story?
We plan to discuss that point in more detail at a later time.
Right now, we’re focusing on crafting the world of Darcon into a rich, dense environment that players can thoroughly explore.
Q. The game is scheduled for release in 2027. How far along is development at this point?
It’s difficult to say in detail, but we are currently in the alpha build stage.
Q. Has Jeff Hattem ever visited Japan before?
This is his first time visiting Japan.
He was also really looking forward to coming to the Tokyo Game Show.
Q. Is there anything else you’re looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to experiencing Japanese culture.
I grew up playing Nintendo and Sega games since I was a child.
Those games had a huge influence on me, and they’re what inspired me to pursue a career in game development.
Q. Among the influences you experienced as a child, which one had the greatest impact on leading you to your current career as a game developer?
I loved “The Lord of the Rings,” and I’ve been playing “Dungeons & Dragons” since I was a child.
I’m really looking forward to combining two things I’ve always loved: the world of fantasy and video games.
"Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons," a single-player action-adventure game that lets you experience a slice of the epic "Dungeons & Dragons" world with cutting-edge graphics, is scheduled for release in 2027.
For the latest updates, please check the official "Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons" website or the official X account ( @WarlockTheGame ).
| Title Overview | |
|---|---|
| Title | Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons |
| Genre | Open-World Action-Adventure |
| Developer | Invoke Studios |
| Release Date | Scheduled for 2027 |