KEY POINTS

  • "The Wayward Realms" is set to be a new open-world RPG with unprecedented scale
  • The game is being developed by former developers of the first three "Elder Scrolls" games
  • The game is still in a very early development stage, so not much is known about it so far

Former “The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall” developers Ted Peterson and Julian LeFay have formed OnceLost Games, a new game studio that’s dedicated to creating “The Wayward Realms,” an ambitious project that might signal the birth of new gaming subgenre: Grand RPG.

As of late, not much is known about what exactly “The Wayward Realms” is going to be apart from a few tidbits of information presented in the game’s Steam page, where the developers promised to deliver a game on a scale that has never been seen before.

“The Wayward Realms” is set to feature a massive world called “The Archipelago,” which is made up of hundreds of islands filled with many towns and cities that are populated by hundreds or even thousands of NPCs. Marshes, mountains, swamps, forests and other biomes are also said to be included in the game, and every location is set to be dynamically and procedurally generated.

The Wayward Realms features a custom spellcrafting and potion-making system
The Wayward Realms features a custom spellcrafting and potion-making system OnceLost Games

Judging by the available information, the game might be a free-form, sandbox experience where players are free to do whatever they want. It’s implied that “The Wayward Realms” will have a dynamic faction system that will have some agency on how the game’s geopolitics will play out, and players have a chance to be a leader or an influential figure in one of them.

This faction system is supported by a virtual Game Master that will drastically affect how NPCs react to world events caused by the player or other characters.

The system is similar to what the “Mount and Blade” games currently have in their single-player campaign modes, albeit “The Wayward Realms” is seemingly aiming for a fully-explorable world instead of just travelling across a map.

Magic, monsters and races commonly associated with the high fantasy genre will also be making appearances in “The Wayward Realms.” The game will also have custom spell crafting, potion making and a classless character system that will give players the freedom to become whatever they want, whether it be a traditional warrior, a battle mage or a sneaky archer.

“The Wayward Realms” is still in very early development and apart from a short teaser and a few screenshots, not much else is available. More details about the game should be revealed by next year as the developers continue to make progress.

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