Independent development studio Lichthund and media company Critical Role have signed a creative and co-publishing partnership for the band management role-playing game Rockbeasts, confirming a release window for January 2027. The announcement, detailed on October 8, 2026, during The Triple-i Initiative broadcast, also officially added voice actors and Critical Role co-founders Matthew Mercer and Sam Riegel to the game’s voice cast.
The agreement follows an initial co-publishing announcement made on September 29, 2026. In a statement, Lichthund explained the goal of the collaboration: “We’re beyond proud to share that Lichthund is partnering with Critical Role, both creatively and on the publishing side. Their experience, talent and honestly, their taste for stories with real heart, combined with everything we’ve poured into our game, is exactly the combination we always hoped for. This partnership is what should let Rockbeasts become the game we always wanted it to be, instead of the game we had to settle for.”
Matthew Mercer, Sam Riegel, and Iggy Pop headline the Rockbeasts cast
With the new additions, the voice cast of Rockbeasts brings together prominent names from both voice acting and music. Alongside Matthew Mercer and Sam Riegel, the project includes fellow Critical Role co-founder and voice actor Liam O’Brien, as well as Grammy-winning rock singer Iggy Pop. The narrative is written by Jakub Szamałek, who previously served as principal writer on The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and is also the principal writer on The Blood of Dawnwalker.
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Bartek Pieczonka, Creative Director at Lichthund, commented on the collaboration between the studio and the media company. “We’ve always seen Rockbeasts as an idea that deserves the full stadium treatment. Critical Role is helping us deliver it. The creative chemistry is already loud and clear, and it’ll bring the game to the players it will resonate with the most,” Pieczonka said.
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Set in an alternative version of the United States during the 1990s inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, Rockbeasts places the player in the role of a manager for an up-and-coming grunge band. Instead of playing as the frontman or the drummer, the user must take the group from a garage to major stages by scheduling concerts, managing financial resources, handling interpersonal egos, dealing with record labels, and preparing setlists for performances that incorporate rhythm mechanics. The production features hand-drawn art and a soundtrack comprising 17 complete original alternative rock tracks.
Platforms, demo episodes, and technical details of Rockbeasts
Along with the January 2027 release window, Lichthund made a playable version of the title available to PC users to test the initial mechanics before the official debut. Below are the confirmed technical details and release schedule for Rockbeasts:
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- Release window: January 2027 (exact day and retail price not yet announced)
- Confirmed platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (via Steam)
- Development and publishing: Lichthund (developer) and Critical Role (creative partner and co-publisher)
- Free PC demo content: Covers the first 2 episodes of the game on Steam, with a third episode scheduled for the Steam Next Fest event on Monday (19)
Critical Role expands video game publishing after 1 million sales of Dispatch in 2025
The entry of Critical Role as co-publisher of Rockbeasts replaces the project’s former publisher, Team17, and marks the continuation of the media company’s expansion into the video game market. Prior to teaming up with Lichthund, Critical Role partnered with developer AdHoc Studios on the game Dispatch, which launched in October 2025 and sold more than 1 million copies within ten days of its release.
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Ben Van Der Fluit, Senior Vice President of Business and Content Development at Critical Role, highlighted the alignment between the new game and the company’s catalog. “What immediately stood out to us about ROCKBEASTS was how much it feels like something the Critical Role audience will connect with. It’s character-driven, funny and emotional, and the choices players make truly shape the band and their relationships,” Van Der Fluit stated. He added: “We’re excited to bring ROCKBEASTS to players as we continue to expand our presence in the video game business.”
Despite the confirmation of the January 2027 launch window and the availability of the PC demo, Lichthund and Critical Role have not yet disclosed the exact release date or the price of Rockbeasts across any of the platforms. The studios have also not detailed which specific characters Iggy Pop, Matthew Mercer, and Sam Riegel will portray in the story.
