Dungeons and Dragons is Also Losing its Game Director

Jeremy Crawford, game director of Dungeons and Dragons, will be officially stepping away from his position at Wizards of the Coast later this month after an 18-year career. After spearheading the revamped version of 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, Crawford will soon leave the TTRPG team, though the major loss of leadership should not impact the game’s current release schedule.

In the modern day, Jeremy Crawford is one of the first names that comes to mind when one thinks of Dungeons and Dragons. In addition to being one of the leaders behind its creation, he is one of the public faces of the TTRPG, often appearing in videos, panels, and other media alongside Chris Perkins, the former creative director of Dungeons and Dragons who departed from the company in early April.

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Now, it seems like Crawford is joining his friend and former colleague soon. According to Dungeons and Dragons vice president of franchise and product Jess Lanzillo via ScreenRant, Crawford’s last day at Wizards of the Coast will come later this month. Like Perkins, Crawford’s decision to depart is deliberate and voluntary – after having successfully shipped the final book in the 2024 rules refresh for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, the developer is simply deciding to step away after 18 years of working on the game.

Jeremy Crawford to Depart Dungeons and Dragons Soon

Crawford got his start in the TTRPG circuit with Green Ronin Publishing, where he worked on Blue Rose, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, and Mutants & Masterminds. In 2007, he joined Wizards of the Coast as a game designer during 4th Edition, where he was eventually promoted to rules manager, and later co-lead designer of 5th Edition alongside former developer Mike Mearls. Under his management, Dungeons and Dragons became much more inclusive and approachable – an effort that he continued in his role as game director of the new 2024 Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual.

At present, it remains to be seen who will step in to replace Crawford and Perkins in their executive roles, though Lanzillo mentioned other well-known names like James Wyatt, Wes Schneider, and Justice Arman as designers who would have a “bigger place at the table” after the major Wizards of the Coast departures. Both Crawford and Perkins reportedly have faith in the teams they are leaving behind, the members of which have been taking on leading roles on projects over the last few years.

Though these departures came as a surprise to the community, it seems they have been in the works within Wizards of the Coast for some time. The current roadmap of Dungeons and Dragons products in 2025 will not be impacted by the loss of Crawford or Perkins, so fans can still expect a slew of exciting sourcebooks to be released throughout the year.

Dungeons and Dragons

Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.

Franchise

Dungeons & Dragons

Original Release Date

1974

Designer

E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson