According to Variety, Brennan Lee Mulligan (Worlds Beyond Number, Game Changer), known for his work on Dimension 20, will be taking over the role of Dungeon Master on the popular web series Critical Role. He announced this new role via an Instagram story displayed below. This is very significant as it marks the first campaign where Mathew Mercer will not be in the coveted role of DM. Instead, Mercer has chosen to enjoy the game from another perspective, the other side of the table as a player. This is not to get Dimension 20 viewers in an uproar, as he has also signed his name beside the x on a three-year development deal with Drop Out.
Variety reveals that the next campaign will be the fourth installment, which is currently untitled and will see the first episode released on Thursday, October 2nd, on Beacon.tv, YouTube, and Twitch. Beacon subscribers will be in for a special treat as they will gain access to the ‘Critical Role Cooldown’, a continued shot of the reactions after gameplay has ended. The theme, per Critical Role, will be ushering in a new era with new legends to be forged in a brand-new world.” It’s also noted that the new campaign will take place outside of the usual Exandria setting, which seems like the perfect time for an interim GM and Mercer to play the role of a character.
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Critical Role released a trailer for the fourth campaign on their Instagram account with a post that read, “Join us in a new world for a whole new story led by Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan on Thursday, October 2nd. We can’t wait to share more with you in the coming weeks!” In the video, Mercer announces that he will be taking the backseat as a player, to which the crowd erupts. He then announces Mulligan as the new GM, to which the crowd erupts even louder.
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Mercer also took to his Instagram account to post a picture of himself with his hand over his heart and a caption that read:
“Man… what a damn night. What a damn GenCon! (Mind the groggy morning after pic) I cannot express how excited I am for Campaign 4, y’all. Getting to meaningfully PLAY at the table as a PC alongside all my friends is something I’ve been wanting to do for some time, but to hand the reins to someone I so deeply love and respect as @brennanleemulligan is an honor. I know this is a shake-up for some, but if you’ve ever trusted me, trust that what we’ve been cooking for this next story with him and the players is something truly special, unique, and very befitting the vibe and scope you’ve come to enjoy with us these past 10 years. Lots of details and reveals over the weeks to come, and excited to unveil the newer faces that join the OG cast to bring this new world to life.
I’m still gonna be running games, don’t you worry! Exandria continues through our live shows, our animated series, many other stories (including your own), and whenever else the inspiration strikes to step back into my world that I’ll be building and playing in until the end of my days. We also got more Age of Umbra to come, and other fun things I’ll be running, so I ain’t hanging up my GM screen any time soon.All in all, love you all, and so, SO excited for this next chapter. I hope you come along with us. <3”
Catch the first episode of the new campaign of Critical Role on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon on October 2nd.
