Witcher 3 ex-director says RPGs have regressed to the 90s

Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, former game director of The Witcher 3, told GamesRadar that the RPG industry has returned to the creative atmosphere of the 1990s golden era, citing Crimson Desert and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as examples of titles breaking away from formulaic design.

That observation rings true. Early RPGs experimented constantly—each game tried something different instead of copying a template. Tomaszkiewicz specifically praised Crimson Desert's approach to systemic freedom, calling this kind of differentiation exactly what the industry needs. The shift away from identical open-world checklists means developers are finally exploring what "role-playing" can actually mean beyond quest markers and map icons.

His own team's upcoming title, The Blood of Dawnwalker, will include romance elements and lighter moments. That's a welcome direction. Too many RPGs treat "epic scale" as the only goal, resulting in characters who deliver exposition with zero personality. When protagonists can flirt, joke, and live between world-saving moments, they feel like people instead of quest dispensers.

His comment about smaller studios gaining room to experiment matters most. Teams no longer need AAA budgets to get noticed—they can focus on perfecting one element, whether that's a unique combat system, nuanced character dynamics, or an unexplored narrative structure. This diversity benefits players directly. We don't need more Witcher 3 clones. We need fresh stories that make us care.