Starbreeze has struck a deal with Wizards of the Coast to license Dungeons & Dragons for a new game, codenamed Project Baxter.
The project is being built in Unreal Engine 5 and is planned for release sometime in 2026. Starbreeze will be both developer and publisher for the new title and described their upcoming game this way:
“Set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons will carry the signature Starbreeze game cornerstones of co-operative multiplayer, lifetime commitment through a Games as a Service-model, community engagement and a larger than life experience. Project Baxter will launch on all major platforms in 2026 and include cross-play. The game will be produced in Unreal Engine 5”.
We are excited to unveil Dungeons & Dragons® as the IP for our next game, codename ”Project Baxter”. A co-operative multiplayer title to be released on all major platforms in 2026!Read more here: https://t.co/JROgMApCzl pic.twitter.com/2SIOUZycyV
— Starbreeze Entertainment (@StarbreezeAB) December 4, 2023
They haven’t described specifics of Project Baxter. With a Dungeons & Dragons setting and license at its core, and the co-op multiplayer and live service announcement, it’s possible to make a few guesses. Starbreeze CEO Tobias Sjögren offers another hint in an interview with Gamesbeat, saying, “From a business perspective, we didn’t like the risk of creating our own intellectual property. So we discussed the IPs that we would like to work on and came to the conclusion that D&D would be awesome”. The game will be set in Waterdeep and is action-oriented.
Creative Director Leif Westerholm, in the same interview, offers some more insights:
“D&D is awesome. But what is it that makes it awesome? I started analyzing that and how we could extrapolate it to a video game format. Four-player co-op. I haven’t seen this on the market. It’s going to be heavily inspired by D&D, but it won’t be dice rolling. It won’t be turn-based. It’s action-oriented theater”.
Action-adventure game, live service, Dungeons & Dragons, co-op multiplayer, and Starbreeze’s expertise.
