Wizards of the Coast has shared some new details about its upcoming 3D Virtual Tabletop, which we now know is named Project Sigil. What’s more, it has opened signups to the closed beta, so you might be able to play DnD with this software sooner than you’d think.
The closed beta for the upcoming virtual tabletop doesn’t have a concrete date attached to it just yet, but we do know that codes will be going out in Fall this year. You can sign up right now, so long as you have a free DnD Beyond account – no paid subscription is required.
If you’re chosen to try out the VTT, you’ll receive six codes at once, so you can bring a bunch of friends on board to play in your new DnD campaign, enhanced by glitzy graphics.
Though we’ve known about it for two years now, Project Sigil is still rather shrouded in mystery, and fans and creators alike seem a little confused about how it’ll actually be used at the table. From what we’ve seen already, it seems to be trying to recreate the experience of playing Dungeons and Dragons with an enormous physical tabletop setup, without the weeks of prep that might entail. It also looks like a video game with an elaborate map editor.
One thing we certainly know is that the platform will come with minis of your favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 companions, with Astarion and Karlach models reportedly revealed at the Gen Con show. Perhaps there’ll be other tie-ins too, since Wizards promises the new virtual tabletop will “bring your favorite franchises to life in a fast, fun, and immersive way”. Could this be DnD’s way to tap into the money-making magic of MTG Universes Beyond?
On July 31, journalist Christian Hoffer tweeted out that he’d asked about Project Sigil’s business model at Gen Con. The answer he received seems inconclusive. The gist is that it’ll be some form of free to play system, but paying subscribers will get something extra. Hoffer added that Wizards will be using the beta to work out what players value, so it sounds like they haven’t worked out the details.
They’re clearly looking to sell minis however, since the sign up page offers you a free Gold Dragon mini on Project Sigil if you preorder the DnD 2024 core rulebooks. That wouldn’t be much of a draw if the minis all came free anyway.
Wizards is pitching Sigil as a 3D sandbox that’ll form an immersive complement to Maps. Not to be a misery guts, but we’re pretty skeptical about the idea so far. Tabletop RPGs don’t require fancy graphics when your imagination does the job just fine, and if we want to play a DnD video game – well, our Baldur’s Gate 3 review (and writer Mollie Russell’s ever-increasing playtime) should tell you where we stand.
It’s been interesting so far to see Wizards of the Coast’s efforts to break into the realm of virtual tabletops, and we’ll be watching carefully to see how things progress. The company is in a strange and unique position, since it owns the biggest RPG in the world, but is also a latecomer, trying to find space in an overcrowded market.
Despite the cynicism it dredges up from our nearly unending reserves, we’re still ready to be won over by Project Sigil. We were skeptical about DnD Maps too, but in practice its simplicity and ease-of-use makes us happy.
You can head over to the DnD Beyond website to sign up for Sigil’s beta. For more Dungeons and Dragons content, check out our guides to all the DnD races and DnD classes. You might also be interested in our DnD 2024 Player’s Handbook review – written after painstaking hours of research and reading.
Source: Wargamer
