Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about role-playing games of the 2010s, part 2.
What exactly is Part 2 of this fan encyclopedia?
It is a community-written reference volume dedicated to role-playing games released during the latter half of the 2010s, roughly 2015 through 2019. It picks up where Part 1 (covering 2010–2014) left off and is maintained by volunteers rather than any official publisher.
Which studios and creators get the most attention in this volume?
The entries spotlight teams behind titles like CD Projekt Red, FromSoftware, Larian Studios, and Obsidian Entertainment, along with individual designers such as Hideo Kojima and Tetsuya Nomura who shaped the era's narrative-driven RPGs.
Where should a complete newcomer begin reading?
Start with the 'Era at a Glance' sidebar on the front-matter page, which maps the major subgenres and their representative titles in a single timeline. From there, the 'First Five Games' reading list suggests an accessible entry path through the most widely recommended titles.
What made the 2015–2019 window distinct for RPGs compared to the earlier decade?
The period saw a sharp pivot toward open-world action RPGs, a surge in indie and narrative-focused titles, and the mainstreaming of roguelike mechanics. It also marked the era when CRPGs experienced a commercial renaissance after years of relative obscurity.
Which specific games are treated as landmark entries?
The encyclopedia gives extended profiles to titles such as The Witcher 3, Dark Souls III, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Persona 5, and Baldur's Gate 3's early development cycle, each with dedicated sections on design choices and community impact.
How is the content structured across chapters?
Chapters are grouped by subgenre (action RPG, CRPG, JRPG, roguelike, etc.), and within each group titles are listed chronologically with cross-references to shared design influences. A final appendix catalogs the key engine and tooling shifts that enabled the era's production styles.
What notable industry or community moments does the volume document?
It covers the 2017 indie-RPG renaissance, the 2018–2019 wave of remasters and remakes, and the growing discourse around loot-box monetization that reshaped how players engaged with RPG economies. Community-driven modding milestones for several major franchises also receive dedicated entries.
How does Part 2 differ in scope from Part 1?
Part 1 emphasizes the transition from console-era JRPGs to the early open-world action RPG boom, while Part 2 focuses on genre hybridization, the rise of smaller studios, and the maturation of online multiplayer RPG elements. The two volumes cross-reference each other but do not duplicate entries.
Is the encyclopedia strictly about video games, or does it include tabletop RPGs?
The primary focus is on digital RPGs, but a recurring sidebar in each chapter notes how tabletop systems like D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e influenced or were influenced by the video-game trends of the same years. Dedicated tabletop entries are kept brief and linked to external community wikis.
Where can readers find supplementary fan-made content linked from the encyclopedia?
Each game entry includes a 'Community Resources' box pointing to well-maintained fan wikis, speedrun leaderboards, and translation projects for JRPGs that never received official localizations. These links are curated by the volunteer editors and updated quarterly.