There’s something quietly revolutionary happening in the world of role-playing games, and it’s not coming from the usual suspects. While everyone’s still buzzing about Baldur’s Gate 3’s monumental success, a small Barcelona-based studio called Epictellers is preparing to launch Starfinder: Afterlight—a game that could very well become the next big thing in CRPGs. What strikes me most isn’t just the ambitious scope or the beloved Starfinder IP, but the refreshingly honest approach the developers are taking. They’re not pretending this is a desperate passion project; they’ve secured proper funding and are using Kickstarter as a genuine community-building tool rather than a financial lifeline. This level of transparency feels like a breath of fresh air in an industry often plagued by overpromising and underdelivering.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for a sci-fantasy CRPG to make its mark. We’re living in a golden age of tabletop adaptations, with games like Baldur’s Gate 3 proving that there’s massive appetite for deep, character-driven role-playing experiences. Starfinder occupies a unique space—it’s essentially what you’d get if Guardians of the Galaxy had a baby with Dungeons & Dragons, blending laser guns with magic spells in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. The developers’ comparison to Divinity: Original Sin suggests they understand exactly what makes modern CRPGs tick: tactical combat, meaningful choices, and companions you actually care about.
What really excites me about Afterlight is the team’s commitment to quality through smart partnerships. Landing Neil Newbon—Astarion’s voice actor from Baldur’s Gate 3—as voice director isn’t just a marketing gimmick; it’s a statement of intent. Newbon understands what makes CRPG characters memorable, and his involvement suggests Epictellers is serious about creating companions with the same depth and complexity that made BG3’s cast so beloved. The fact that they’re already thinking about stretch goals for additional races like the Skittermanders shows they’re planning for the long haul, not just rushing to release.
The Kickstarter’s immediate success—tripling its initial goal within hours—tells a compelling story about the gaming community’s appetite for well-executed CRPGs. But what’s more telling is how the developers are handling this success. They’ve expressed weariness about ‘skyrocketing success,’ which might sound counterintuitive but actually reveals a mature understanding of game development. They know that overwhelming stretch goals can lead to feature creep and development hell, and they’d rather deliver a polished, focused experience than promise the moon and stars. This measured approach could be exactly what the game needs to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other ambitious Kickstarter projects.
Looking ahead to 2027, Starfinder: Afterlight represents more than just another CRPG—it’s a test case for how tabletop IPs can successfully transition to video games in the post-Baldur’s Gate 3 landscape. The game’s success or failure will likely influence how other publishers approach similar adaptations. If Epictellers can capture the magic of Starfinder’s universe while delivering the depth and polish that modern CRPG fans expect, they might just prove that there’s room for multiple massive RPG successes in the market. The stars seem to be aligning for this cosmic adventure, and I can’t wait to see what emerges from the drift.
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