History Analysis / WesternRPG

''The history of {{Western RPG}}s has been moved to UsefulNotes.WesternRPG.''

* ''Analysis/{{Transistor}}''

* ''Analysis/FalloutNewVegas''
* ''Analysis/Fallout4''

''The history of {{Western RPG}}s has been moved to UsefulNotes/WesternRPG.''

!!Brief History of Western [=RPGs=] (Troper-Style)
!!!The Primordial Era of WesternRPG (1975–1980)
Basically, everything between the release of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' in 1974 and the rise of the ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' series in the early 80s. In this era, programming geeks fed the ''D&D'' ruleset into their [[UsefulNotes/MainframesAndMinicomputers mainframes]] and implemented [[TextParser text-based interfaces]] for players to interact with, producing the {{Ur Example}}s of the genre like ''VideoGame/{{dnd}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Dungeon}}''. This period is crucial to understanding the difference between [[TabletopRPG pen-and-paper role-playing]] and role-playing ''video'' games: while the classic ''D&D''-style RP is one part number crunching, one part freeform make-believe, and one part nerdy get-together, its video game implementations have, from the very beginning, been all about the numbers.

!!!The GoldenAge of WesternRPG (1981–1993)
TheEighties were the time when the RPG genre (alongside {{Adventure Game}}s) dominated the PC gaming market, breezing even past UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 with hardly a scratch. 2D graphics, annual releases, and LongRunner series were in vogue (in fact, the genre still owes its longest series to this era), and [=RPGs=] regularly pushed the boundaries of contemporary gaming technology. That is not to say that all games from this era were flawless. Low production costs (compared to later periods) let developers produce [[SturgeonsLaw many an uninspired and buggy hackjob]] and get away with it -- at least, until the market grew saturated and they became a contributing factor in the following Dark Age. However, thanks to the NostalgiaFilter, this period's highlights are far better remembered today than its lows.

The essential series from this period include:

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' (Creator/{{Origin|Systems}}, 1981–1999): The [[OneManIndustrialRevolution chief trailblazer]] of Western RPG genre, pioneering a lot of innovations that are ''still'' being rediscovered.
** ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'' (Creator/LookingGlassStudios, 1992–1993): The first fully [=3D=], real time [[ImmersiveSim simulated world]] that would inspire ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series.
* ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' (Creator/SirTech, 1981–2001): ''Ultima''[='=]s [[DuelingGames main rival]] that focused on conservative (and teeth-crushingly hard) DungeonCrawling.
* ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' (Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}}, 1985–1988): Competed with ''Wizardry'' and ''M&M'' for the hardcore dungeon crawler crown but wound down early.
* ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'' (Creator/NewWorldComputing, 1986–2002): The last of the [[PowerTrio Big Three]] (with ''Ultima'' and ''Wizardry''), which focused much more on accessibility and user friendliness.
* VideoGame/GoldBox (SSI, 1988–1993): '''The''' ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' adaptation of the Golden Age. Not so much a single series as an anthology of smaller series running on the same engine.
* ''VideoGame/TheMagicCandle'' (Mindcraft, 1989–1993): An oddball that came out of nowhere, brought [[https://medium.com/@RowanKaiser/the-disappeared-game-company-that-couldve-defined-worldbuilding-238d142216af original ideas]] to the table, yet disappeared with little legacy.
* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' (Creator/{{Sierra}}, 1989–1998): Sierra's fondly-remembered attempt at marrying the adventure games they're best known for with RPG mechanics.
* ''VideoGame/EyeOfTheBeholder'' (Creator/{{Westwood|Studios}}/SSI, 1991–1993): SSI's short-lived SpiritualSuccessor to the Gold Box.
* ''VideoGame/RealmsOfArkania'' (Attic Entertainment, 1992–1996): One of the few European (German, to be precise) RPG series of the age to rise to fame.
* ''VideoGame/LandsOfLore'' (Westwood, 1993–1999): Westwood's [[StartMyOwn standalone project]] after SSI took over ''Eye of the Beholder'' completely.

Some notable standalone games (that got either [[StillbornFranchise no sequel]], a [[ToughActToFollow negligible sequel]], a [[SequelGap sequel way too long in the making]]):

* ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}'' (A.I. Design, 1983): A dungeon crawler RPG that started [[{{Roguelike}} its own genre]].
* ''VideoGame/TheFaeryTaleAdventure'' ([=MicroIllusions=], 1987): One of the earliest Western {{Action RPG}}s, a proto-''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}''-"clone".
* ''VideoGame/DungeonMaster'' (FTL Games, 1987): The first ''fully 3D'' Western ActionRPG.
* ''VideoGame/{{Wasteland}}'' (Interplay, 1988): The game that would inspire ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'' a decade later.
* ''VideoGame/SentinelWorldsIFutureMagic'' (Karl Buiter, 1988): One of (if not the) first SpaceOpera game to come out of the subgenre.
* ''VideoGame/{{Darklands}}'' (Creator/MicroProse, 1992): Described by some as "the most historically accurate RPG ever".
* ''VideoGame/BetrayalAtKrondor'' (Dynamix, 1993): One of the earliest examples of the narrative RPG subgenre (alongside late ''Ultima'' titles).

Five Golden Age studios that had a particular impact upon the genre -- Creator/{{Origin|Systems}}, Creator/SirTech, Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}}, Creator/NewWorldComputing, and SSI -- are sometimes dubbed its "mythic forefathers". Four of them closed during or after the subsequent Dark Age, so nearly all major WesternRPG producers nowadays trace their lineage to Creator/InterplayEntertainment in one way or another.

!!!The Dark Ages of WesternRPG (1994–1996)
The Golden Age came to an end in the [[TheNineties mid-90s]] due to a combination of factors. The likely main reason was the failure of the leading studios to keep up with the advances of video game technology (new storage tech like the CD, [[VideoGame3DLeap 3D graphics]], full-motion video, voice acting, etc.) and the ever-mounting development costs that came with them. As a result, the Western RPG market was filled by derivative, half-baked products[[note]](to name a few: ''Daemonsgate'', ''Menzoberranzan'', ''Birthright'', ''Descent to Undermountain''...)[[/note]], while the big series of the Golden Age frustrated their fans with extended {{Sequel Gap}}s. Some, like ''Quest for Glory'', managed to wrap up satisfactorily when they finally delivered, but others, like ''Ultima'' and ''Might & Magic'', met rather ignoble ends. SSI lost the ''D&D'' license and went out of business after 1995, and ''Wizardry 8'' (2001) would ultimately become the SwanSong of the Golden Age.

''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' (Creator/{{Bethesda}}, 1994–ongoing) is the most famous title that hails from this period (even though it first came into full force during the Bronze Age, after its developer had barely survived the late 90s thanks to the buyout by [=ZeniMax=]) and bears the honor of being the oldest continuous still-running WesternRPG series. ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' (Looking Glass, 1994) was among the earliest examples of the ImmersiveSim genre, and some fans still fondly remember ''VideoGame/RavenloftStrahdsPossession'' ([=DreamForge=]/SSI, 1994), ''VideoGame/{{Stonekeep}}'' (Interplay, 1995), and ''VideoGame/{{Anvil of Dawn}}'' ([=DreamForge=]/NWC, 1995). It was also during the Dark Ages that the ''VideoGame/{{Exile}}'' series (Creator/SpiderwebSoftware, 1995–1997) emerged as likely the first {{indie|Game}} WRPG in modern sense; its creator Jeff Vogel went on to develop many successful indie [=RPGs=] over the next two decades: ''VideoGame/{{Nethergate}}'' (1998), ''VideoGame/{{Avernum}}'' (2000–2009, rebooted in 2011), ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' (2001–2008), ''VideoGame/{{Avadon}}'' (2011–2016).

!!!The Silver Age of WesternRPG (1997–2002)
The genre emerged from the turmoil of the Dark Ages in the late 1996-early 1997 with a double-punch combo of Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' and Interplay's ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', both of which shaped the following Silver Age considerably. Gone were the Golden Age's crazy ScienceFantasy antics -- style consistency was now the order of things; LongRunner series were out, replaced by duologies and trilogies; instead of entire player-created parties of old, the games now focused on lone {{featureless|Protagonist}} [[PlayerCharacter player avatars]]; TurnBasedCombat was phased out in favor of real time ([[RealTimeWithPause with pause]]); StoryBranching and plot-altering choices became a norm, as did the VirtualPaperDoll trope for playable characters. Overall, the developers have adapted to the new technology standards, extended the development cycles, and upped the production values, but the full 3D leap would wait until the TurnOfTheMillennium (while IsometricProjection ruled the field in the meantime).

When reminiscing about the Silver Age, most people think of the Gold Box's successor -- the Infinity Engine (the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and the ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' duology, by Creator/BioWare and Creator/BlackIsle, 1998–2002), but it's unfair to reduce the entire era to it. Both ''Fallout'' and ''Diablo'' received sequels and a [[FollowTheLeader slew of imitators]], while ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' (Creator/IonStorm, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2001), ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' (Creator/GasPoweredGames, 2002), and ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' (Creator/{{Larian|Studios}}, 2002) managed to start successful series that found their place in the Bronze Age. Other games [[StillbornFranchise never got a sequel]] and are now undeservedly forgotten: ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}'' (Delphine, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Revenant}}'' (Cinematix, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}'' (Westwood, 2000), ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeRedemption Vampire: Redemption]]'' (Nihilistic Software, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' (Creator/{{Troika|Games}}, 2001), ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' (Digital Tome, 2001), ''VideoGame/{{Lionheart|LegacyOfTheCrusader}}'' (Reflexive, 2003), etc. The ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' series ([=BioWare=]/Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}}, 2002–2009) and ''VideoGame/TheTempleOfElementalEvil'' (Troika, 2003) would become the swan songs of this era.

It was also during the Silver Age that the {{MMORPG}} branch split off from the main genre, thanks to ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'' (Origin, 1997) and ''VideoGame/EverQuest'' (Creator/{{Sony}}, 1999).

!!!The Bronze Age of WesternRPG (2003–2018)
If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Bronze Age ones were {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed shortly by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003) -- a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003) -- a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release -- but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remained largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

Bronze Age Western [=RPGs=] were characterized by MultiPlatform releases, [[ActionRPG action-oriented combat]], fully voiced dialogue, and extensive usage of in-engine cutscenes. Multiplayer, commonplace during the Silver Age, [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode went out of favor]] concurrently with the rise of [=MMORPGs=] -- at least, until ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' ([=BioWare=], 2012) found [[https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/how-mass-effect-3s-role-playing-roots-empowers-the-multiplayer/ a way]] to make it cool again (and accidentally, to popularize LootBoxes in premium-priced games) and ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (Larian, 2014) turned it completely on its ear -- but it's not to say that the genre didn't make any use of online capabilities: DownloadableContent was pioneered by ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (Bethesda, 2006) and quickly picked up on by other developers. On the bright side, the AAA industry has polished and codified a lot of the usability and interface features that many players have come to expect from a modern RPG ([[Main/FanDumb others]] prefer to call it "[[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole dumbing down for consoles]]").

!!!The WesternRPG Renaissance (2012–2018)
A decade into the Bronze Age, a curious phenomenon occurred in the genre: a growing number of RPG developers, both old guard and new blood, began tackling an almost forgotten market niche between AAA and {{Arthouse Game}}s -- the medium-budget, PC-only "B titles". This flavor of WesternRPG seemed to have died off (the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxVBJem3Rs Jeff Vogel phenomenon]] notwithstanding) before being rediscovered thanks to the emergence of affordable game tech and new business models. The term "Renaissance" was coined for this movement because the vast majority of such [=RPGs=] are (often explicit) throwbacks to the Golden and Silver Ages and set out to marry the gameplay and story ideas of the older games with modern advances in video game technology and gameplay design.

Common traits of a "Renaissance-era" WesternRPG include:

* '''Developer''': A small, often independent studio, either European and obscure or American and led by disgruntled industry veterans.
* '''Budget''': Very limited ([[NoBudget commonly under $5 million]]); usually Website/{{Kickstarte|r}}d, otherwise crowd-funded, or self-funded.
* '''Platform''': PC-only, although commonly MultiPlatform by virtue of supporting Mac and Linux in addition to Windows.
* '''Distribution''': Digital multi-channel, commonly including UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, Website/GogDotCom, and other DRM-free distributors.
* '''Engine''': Self-produced, UsefulNotes/{{Unity}}, or Unreal Engine 4 (post-2015).
* '''Gameplay''': Manifold and complex game systems with a ton of CharacterCustomization options but little hand-holding.
* '''Video''': Fully or mostly 3D, but often with a fixed top-down (pseudo-{{isometric|Projection}}) view.
* '''Audio''': Few fully-voiced characters, even when the game contains a lot of written text. A professional soundtrack.
* '''Story''': Decidedly un-cinematic, with few prerendered and in-engine cutscenes and a focus on exploration.
* '''Quality''': Lack of polish upon release compared to AAA titles, mitigated by the devs' quick feedback and patch cycle.
* '''Re-releases''': A "[[UpdatedRerelease Director's Cut]]" may improve graphics and restore previously cut gameplay features, using the proceeds from the original release.

An incomplete list of Renaissance-era [=RPGs=]:

* ''VideoGame/LegendOfGrimrock'' (2012). A throwback to the Golden Age 3D dungeon crawlers ''VideoGame/DungeonMaster'', ''VideoGame/EyeOfTheBeholder'', and ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', self-funded by a Finnish indie dev studio.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'' (2013). A throwback to the Silver Age dungeon crawlers, primarily ''VideoGame/DiabloII'', crowd-funded by an indie dev studio from New Zealand.
* Harebrained Games' ''Shadowrun'' trilogy: ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'' (2013), ''Shadowrun: Dragonfall'' (2014), and ''Shadowrun: Hong Kong'' (2015).
* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic X: Legacy]]'' (2014). A throwback to and reboot of the long-dead Golden Age series of dungeon crawlers, developed by a small German studio and, unlike most examples, published traditionally.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (2014). A throwback to Golden Age sandbox [=RPGs=] like ''VideoGame/UltimaVII'' and Silver Age narrative ones like ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'', partly self-, partly crowd-funded by the Belgian Creator/LarianStudios.
* ''VideoGame/{{Wasteland 2}}'' (2014). A throwback and sequel to the Golden Age post-apocalyptic classic ''VideoGame/{{Wasteland}}'' and, by extension, to the original ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games (which codified the Silver Age), Kickstarted by former Creator/InterplayEntertainment [[Creator/InXileEntertainment veterans]].
* ''Legend of Grimrock II'' (2014). A self-funded sequel to ''[=LoG=]''.
* ''VideoGame/LordsOfXulima'' (2014). A throwback to several Golden Age series like ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'', partly self-funded, partly Kickstarted by a Spanish indie studio.
* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'' (2015). A throwback to the Infinity Engine [=RPGs=], Kickstarted by former Creator/BlackIsle [[Creator/ObsidianEntertainment veterans]].
* ''VideoGame/TheAgeOfDecadence'' (2015). Notable for being in development since 2006, but only released with the advent of the WRPG renaissance.
* ''VideoGame/{{Underrail}}'' (2015). A throwback to Silver Age classics like ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' and ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', self-funded by an indie dev studio from Serbia. Often seen as a spiritual successor to ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}''.
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateSiegeOfDragonspear'' (2016). A ''D&D''-based {{Interquel}} to (their own [[UpdatedRerelease HD remakes]] of) the legendary ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, developed semi-traditionally by former Creator/BioWare veterans.
* ''VideoGame/TormentTidesOfNumenera'' (2017). A throwback to the quintessential Silver Age narrative RPG, ''Planescape: Torment'', Kickstarted by former Interplay veterans.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'' (2017). A partly self-funded, partly Kickstarted sequel to ''D:OS''.
* ''VideoGame/ShroudOfTheAvatarForsakenVirtues'' (2018). A throwback to the Golden Age sandbox [=RPGs=] like ''VideoGame/UltimaVII'' and early [=MMORPGs=], specifically, ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'', Kickstarted by former Origin Systems veterans.
* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternityIIDeadfire'' (2018). A sequel to the original ''Pillars of Eternity'', also crowdfunded on Fig.co.
* ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'' (2018). A throwback to and continuation of the Golden Age fantasy classic ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'', Kickstarted by former Interplay veterans.
* ''VideoGame/UnderworldAscendant'' (2018). A throwback to and continuation of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', Kickstarted by former Origin Systems and Looking Glass Studios veterans. Ties in with ''Shroud of the Avatar''.
* ''VideoGame/Wasteland3'' (2020). A sequel to ''Wasteland 2'', crowdfunded on Fig.co this time.

Beyond these, the success of ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' (whose PC version also came out in 2012) had likely been a powerful wake-up call to Western RPG creators and a major factor in the advent of the Western RPG Renaissance. Although developed in Japan, this game combined many of the Western design sensibilities with a challenge level typical for [=JRPGs=] but rarely seen in the West since the Silver Age and enjoyed great popularity with audiences on both sides of the Pacific and the Atlantic.

As it happens, the WRPG Renaissance had also coincided with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbyTOAlhRHk comeback of its cousin genre]], the ImmersiveSim, starting with the release of ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' in 2012.

!!!The Modern Age of WesternRPG (2019–ongoing)
The WRPG Renaissance came to a gradual close around 2018, when the last stragglers from the 2012 Kickstarter boom had been released. The era that followed saw a convergence of AAA and indie domains, with the former learning and appropriating ideas from the latter, and the indies receiving more and more recognition worldwide. Partly thanks to a creative slump of the key Silver and Bronze Age studios (Creator/BioWare, Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}}, and Creator/{{Bethesda}}), new challengers began edging in on their AA and AAA turf. In North America, these were mainly the veteran studios that became major players during the Renaissance, like Creator/{{Obsidian}} and Creator/{{inXile|Entertainment}}, both of which were subsequently acquired by Creator/{{Microsoft|Studios}}, further funding their growth.

Meanwhile, European devs have become a major force in the genre for the first time in its history. The largest of these was, of course, Creator/CDProjektRED, but mid-tier studios like Creator/{{Larian|Studios}} and Creator/{{Spiders}} and even tiny indies like [[VideoGame/DiscoElysium ZA/UM]] gained a worldwide following. The event that most clearly conveyed the rise of European WRPG devs (and very likely marked the start of the Modern Age) was the 2019 announcement that ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'', a revival of the most iconic Silver Age series, will be taken over by Larian Studios.

Meanwhile, European devs have become a major force in the genre for the first time in its history. The largest of these was, of course, Creator/CDProjektRED, but mid-tier studios like Creator/{{Larian|Studios}} and Creator/{{Spiders}} and even tiny indies like [[VideoGame/DiscoElysium ZA/UM]] gained a worldwide following. The event that most clearly communicated the rise of European WRPG devs (and very likely marked the start of the Modern Age) was the 2019 announcement of ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' by Larian Studios, who took over the most iconic Silver Age series from [=BioWare=] and its direct North American descendants.

Meanwhile, European devs have become a major force in the genre for the first time in its history. The largest of these was, of course, Creator/CDProjektRED, but mid-tier studios like Creator/{{Larian|Studios}} and Creator/{{Spiders}} and even tiny indies like [[VideoGame/DiscoElysium ZA/UM]] gained a worldwide following. The event that most clearly communicated the rise of European WRPG devs
(and very likely marked the start of the Modern Age) was the 2019 announcement of ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' by Larian Studios, who took over the most iconic Silver Age series from [=BioWare=] and its direct North American descendants.

(and very likely marked the start of the Modern Age) was the 2019 announcement of ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' by Larian Studios, who took over the most iconic Silver Age series from [=BioWare=] and its direct North American successors.

The WRPG Renaissance came to a gradual close around 2018, when the last stragglers from the 2012 Kickstarter boom had been released. The era that followed saw a convergence of AAA and indie domains, with the former learning and appropriating ideas from the latter, and the indies receiving more and more recognition worldwide. Partly thanks to a creative slump of the key Silver and Bronze Age studios (Creator/BioWare, Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}}, and Creator/{{Bethesda}}, etc.), new challengers began edging in on their AA and AAA turf. In North America, these challengers have mainly been veteran studios that became major players during the Renaissance, like Creator/{{Obsidian}} and Creator/{{inXile|Entertainment}}, both of which were subsequently acquired by Creator/{{Microsoft|Studios}}, funding their growth.

''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' (Creator/{{Bethesda}}, 1994–ongoing) is the most famous title that hails from this period (even though it first came into full force during the Modern Age, after its developer had barely survived the late 90s thanks to the buyout by [=ZeniMax=]) and bears the honor of being the oldest continuous still-running WesternRPG series. ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' (Looking Glass, 1994) was among the earliest examples of the ImmersiveSim genre, and some fans still fondly remember ''VideoGame/RavenloftStrahdsPossession'' ([=DreamForge=]/SSI, 1994), ''VideoGame/{{Stonekeep}}'' (Interplay, 1995), and ''VideoGame/{{Anvil of Dawn}}'' ([=DreamForge=]/NWC, 1995). It was also during the Dark Ages that the ''VideoGame/{{Exile}}'' series (Creator/SpiderwebSoftware, 1995–1997) emerged as likely the first {{indie|Game}} WRPG in modern sense; its creator Jeff Vogel went on to develop many successful indie [=RPGs=] over the next two decades: ''VideoGame/{{Nethergate}}'' (1998), ''VideoGame/{{Avernum}}'' (2000–2009, rebooted in 2011), ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' (2001–2008), ''VideoGame/{{Avadon}}'' (2011–2016).

When reminiscing about the Silver Age, most people think of the Gold Box's successor -- the Infinity Engine (the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and the ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' duology, by Creator/BioWare and Creator/BlackIsle, 1998–2002), but it's unfair to reduce the entire era to it. Both ''Fallout'' and ''Diablo'' received sequels and a [[FollowTheLeader slew of imitators]], while ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' (Creator/IonStorm, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2001), ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' (Creator/GasPoweredGames, 2002), and ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' (Creator/{{Larian|Studios}}, 2002) managed to start successful series that found their place in the Modern Age. Other games [[StillbornFranchise never got a sequel]] and are now undeservedly forgotten: ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}'' (Delphine, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Revenant}}'' (Cinematix, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}'' (Westwood, 2000), ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeRedemption Vampire: Redemption]]'' (Nihilistic Software, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' (Creator/{{Troika|Games}}, 2001), ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' (Digital Tome, 2001), ''VideoGame/{{Lionheart|LegacyOfTheCrusader}}'' (Reflexive, 2003), etc. The ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' series ([=BioWare=]/Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}}, 2002–2009) and ''VideoGame/TheTempleOfElementalEvil'' (Troika, 2003) would become the swan songs of this era.

If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Modern Age ones were {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed shortly by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003) -- a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003) -- a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release -- but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remained largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

A decade into the Modern Age, a curious phenomenon occurred in the genre: a growing number of RPG developers, both old guard and new blood, began tackling an almost forgotten market niche between AAA and {{Arthouse Game}}s -- the medium-budget, PC-only "B titles". This flavor of WesternRPG seemed to have died off (the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxVBJem3Rs Jeff Vogel phenomenon]] notwithstanding) before being rediscovered thanks to the emergence of affordable game tech and new business models. The term "Renaissance" was coined for this movement because the vast majority of such [=RPGs=] are (often explicit) throwbacks to the Golden and Silver Ages and set out to marry the gameplay and story ideas of the older games with modern advances in video game technology and gameplay design.

The WRPG Renaissance came to a gradual close around 2018, when the last stragglers from the 2012 Kickstarter boom had been released. The era that followed saw a convergence of AAA and indie domains of the genre, with the former learning and appropriating ideas from the latter and the latter receiving more and more recognition worldwide. Partly thanks to a creative slump of key Silver and Bronze Age studios (Creator/BioWare, Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}}, and Creator/{{Bethesda}}, etc.), new challengers began edging in on their AA and AAA turf. In North America, these challengers were primarily veteran studios who became major players during the Renaissance, like Creator/{{Obsidian}} and Creator/{{inXile|Entertainment}}, both of which were subsequently acquired by Creator/{{Microsoft|Studios}}, funding their growth.

Meanwhile, European devs have become a major force for the first time in genre history. The largest of these was, of course, Creator/CDProjektRED, but mid-tier studios like Creator/{{Larian|Studios}} and Creator/{{Spiders}} and even tiny indies like [[VideoGame/DiscoElysium ZA/UM]] gained a worldwide following. The even that marked the start of the Modern Age by acknowledging the role of European devs was the 2019 announcement that Larian Studios was making ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'', taking over the most iconic of the Silver Age series from [=BioWare=] and its direct successors in North America.

!!!The Modern Age of WesternRPG (2003–ongoing)
If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Modern Age ones are {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed shortly by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003) -- a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003) -- a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release -- but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remain largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

Modern Age Western [=RPGs=] are characterized by MultiPlatform releases, [[ActionRPG action-oriented combat]], fully voiced dialogue, and extensive usage of in-engine cutscenes. Multiplayer, commonplace during the Silver Age, [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode went out of favor]] concurrently with the rise of [=MMORPGs=] -- at least, until ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' ([=BioWare=], 2012) found [[https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/how-mass-effect-3s-role-playing-roots-empowers-the-multiplayer/ a way]] to make it cool again (and accidentally, to popularize LootBoxes in premium-priced games) and ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (Larian, 2014) turned it completely on its ear -- but it's not to say that the genre didn't make any use of online capabilities: DownloadableContent was pioneered by ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (Bethesda, 2006) and quickly picked up on by other developers. On the bright side, the AAA industry has polished and codified a lot of the usability and interface features that many players have come to expect from a modern RPG ([[Main/FanDumb others]] prefer to call it "[[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole dumbing down for consoles]]").

!!!The WesternRPG Renaissance (2012–ongoing)
A decade into the Modern Age, a curious phenomenon occurred in the genre: an increasing number of RPG developers, both old guard and new blood, are tackling an almost forgotten market niche between AAA and {{Arthouse Game}}s -- the medium-budget, PC-only "B titles". This flavor of WesternRPG seemed to have died off (the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxVBJem3Rs Jeff Vogel phenomenon]] notwithstanding) before being rediscovered thanks to the emergence of affordable game tech and new business models. The term "Renaissance" was coined for this movement because the vast majority of such [=RPGs=] are (often explicit) throwbacks to the Golden and Silver Ages and set out to marry the gameplay and story ideas of the older games with modern advances in video game technology and gameplay design.

* ''VideoGame/Wasteland3'' (TBR). A sequel to ''Wasteland 2'', crowdfunded on Fig.co this time.

Basically, everything between the release of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' in 1974 and the rise of the ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' series in the early 80s. In this era, programming geeks fed the ''D&D'' ruleset into their [[UsefulNotes/MainframesAndMinicomputers mainframes]] and implemented [[TextParser text-based interfaces]] for players to interact with, producing the {{Ur Example}}s of the genre like ''VideoGame/{{dnd}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Dungeon}}''. This period is crucial to understanding the difference between [[TabletopRPG pen-and-paper role-playing]] and role-playing ''video'' games: while the classic ''D&D''-style RP is one part number crunching, one part freeform make-believe, its video game implementations have, from the very beginning, been all about the numbers.

When reminiscing about the Silver Age, most people think of the Gold Box's successor -- the Infinity Engine (the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and the ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' duology, by Creator/BioWare and Creator/BlackIsle, 1998–2002), but it's unfair to identify it with the entire period. Both ''Fallout'' and ''Diablo'' received sequels and a [[FollowTheLeader slew of imitators]], while ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' (Creator/IonStorm, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2001), ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' (Creator/GasPoweredGames, 2002), and ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' (Creator/{{Larian|Studios}}, 2002) managed to start successful series that found their place in the Modern Age. Other games [[StillbornFranchise never got a sequel]] and are now undeservedly forgotten: ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}'' (Delphine, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Revenant}}'' (Cinematix, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}'' (Westwood, 2000), ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeRedemption Vampire: Redemption]]'' (Nihilistic Software, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' (Creator/{{Troika|Games}}, 2001), ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' (Digital Tome, 2001), ''VideoGame/{{Lionheart|LegacyOfTheCrusader}}'' (Reflexive, 2003), etc. The ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' series ([=BioWare=]/Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}}, 2002–2009) and ''VideoGame/TheTempleOfElementalEvil'' (Troika, 2003) would become the swan songs of this era.

Modern Age Western [=RPGs=] are characterized by MultiPlatform releases, [[ActionRPG action-oriented combat]], fully voiced dialogue, and extensive usage of in-engine cutscenes. Multiplayer, commonplace during the Silver Age, [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode went out of favor]] concurrently with the rise of [=MMORPGs=] -- at least, until ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' ([=BioWare=], 2012) found [[https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/how-mass-effect-3s-role-playing-roots-empowers-the-multiplayer/ a way]] to make it cool again (and accidentally, to popularize LootBoxes in premium-priced games) and ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (Larian, 2014) turned it completely on its ear -- but it's not to say that the genre didn't make any use of online capabilities: DownloadableContent was pioneered by ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (Bethesda, 2006) and quickly picked up on by other developers. On the bright side, the AAA industry has polished and codified a lot of the usability and interface features that many players have come to expect from a modern RPG (others prefer to call it "[[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole dumbing down for consoles]]").

Modern Age Western [=RPGs=] are characterized by MultiPlatform releases, [[ActionRPG action-oriented combat]], fully voiced dialogue, and extensive usage of in-engine cutscenes. Multiplayer, commonplace during the Silver Age, [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode went out of favor]] concurrently with the rise of [=MMORPGs=]--at least, until ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' ([=BioWare=], 2012) found [[https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/how-mass-effect-3s-role-playing-roots-empowers-the-multiplayer/ a way]] to make it cool again (and accidentally, to popularize LootBoxes in premium-priced games) and ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (Larian, 2014) turned it completely on its ear -- but it's not to say that the genre didn't make any use of online capabilities: DownloadableContent was pioneered by ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (Bethesda, 2006) and quickly picked up on by other developers. On the bright side, the AAA industry has polished and codified a lot of the usability and interface features that many players have come to expect from a modern RPG (others prefer to call it "[[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole dumbing down for consoles]]").

If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Modern Age ones are {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed shortly by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003)--a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003)--a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release -- but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remain largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

TheEighties were the time when the RPG genre (alongside {{Adventure Game}}s) dominated the PC gaming market, breezing even past UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 with hardly a scratch. 2D graphics, annual releases, and LongRunner series were in vogue (in fact, the genre still owes its longest series to this era), and [=RPGs=] regularly pushed the boundaries of contemporary gaming technology. That is not to say that all games from this era were flawless. Low production costs (compared to later periods) let developers produce [[SturgeonsLaw many an uninspired and buggy hackjob]] and get away with it--at least, until the market grew saturated and they became a contributing factor in the following Dark Age. However, thanks to the NostalgiaFilter, this period's highlights are far better remembered today than its lows.

The genre emerged from the turmoil of the Dark Ages in the late 1996-early 1997 with a double-punch combo of Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' and Interplay's ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', both of which shaped the following Silver Age considerably. Gone were the Golden Age's crazy ScienceFantasy antics--style consistency was now the order of things; LongRunner series were out, replaced by duologies and trilogies; instead of entire player-created parties of old, the games now focused on lone {{featureless|Protagonist}} [[PlayerCharacter player avatars]]; TurnBasedCombat was phased out in favor of real time ([[RealTimeWithPause with pause]]); StoryBranching and plot-altering choices became a norm, as did the VirtualPaperDoll trope for playable characters. Overall, the developers have adapted to the new technology standards, extended the development cycles, and upped the production values, but the full 3D leap would wait until the TurnOfTheMillennium (while IsometricProjection ruled the field in the meantime).

When reminiscing about the Silver Age, most people think of the Gold Box's successor--the Infinity Engine (the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and the ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' duology, by Creator/BioWare and Creator/BlackIsle, 1998–2002), but it's unfair to identify it with the entire period. Both ''Fallout'' and ''Diablo'' received sequels and a [[FollowTheLeader slew of imitators]], while ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' (Creator/IonStorm, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2001), ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' (Creator/GasPoweredGames, 2002), and ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' (Creator/{{Larian|Studios}}, 2002) managed to start successful series that found their place in the Modern Age. Other games [[StillbornFranchise never got a sequel]] and are now undeservedly forgotten: ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}'' (Delphine, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Revenant}}'' (Cinematix, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}'' (Westwood, 2000), ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeRedemption Vampire: Redemption]]'' (Nihilistic Software, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' (Creator/{{Troika|Games}}, 2001), ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' (Digital Tome, 2001), ''VideoGame/{{Lionheart|LegacyOfTheCrusader}}'' (Reflexive, 2003), etc. The ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' series ([=BioWare=]/Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}}, 2002–2009) and ''VideoGame/TheTempleOfElementalEvil'' (Troika, 2003) would become the swan songs of this era.

If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Modern Age ones are {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed shortly by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003)--a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003)--a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release--but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remain largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

Modern Age Western [=RPGs=] are characterized by MultiPlatform releases, [[ActionRPG action-oriented combat]], fully voiced dialogue, and extensive usage of in-engine cutscenes. Multiplayer, commonplace during the Silver Age, [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode went out of favor]] concurrently with the rise of [=MMORPGs=]--at least, until ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' ([=BioWare=], 2012) found [[https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/how-mass-effect-3s-role-playing-roots-empowers-the-multiplayer/ a way]] to make it cool again (and accidentally, to popularize LootBoxes in premium-priced games) and ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' (Larian, 2014) turned it completely on its ear--but it's not to say that the genre didn't make any use of online capabilities: DownloadableContent was pioneered by ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (Bethesda, 2006) and quickly picked up on by other developers. On the bright side, the AAA industry has polished and codified a lot of the usability and interface features that many players have come to expect from a modern RPG (others prefer to call it "[[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole dumbing down for consoles]]").

A decade into the Modern Age, a curious phenomenon occurred in the genre: an increasing number of RPG developers, both old guard and new blood, are tackling an almost forgotten market niche between AAA and {{Arthouse Game}}s--the medium-budget, PC-only "B titles". This flavor of WesternRPG seemed to have died off (the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxVBJem3Rs Jeff Vogel phenomenon]] notwithstanding) before being rediscovered thanks to the emergence of affordable game tech and new business models. The term "Renaissance" was coined for this movement because the vast majority of such [=RPGs=] are (often explicit) throwbacks to the Golden and Silver Ages and set out to marry the gameplay and story ideas of the older games with modern advances in video game technology and gameplay design.

''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' (Creator/{{Bethesda}}, 1994–ongoing) is the most famous title that hails from this period (even though it first came into full force during the Modern Age, after its developer had barely survived the late 90s thanks to the buyout by [=ZeniMax=]) and bears the honor of being the oldest continuous still-running WesternRPG series. ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' (Looking Glass, 1994) was among the earliest examples of the ImmersiveSim genre, and some fans still fondly remember ''VideoGame/RavenloftStrahdsPossession'' ([=DreamForge=]/SSI, 1994), ''VideoGame/{{Stonekeep}}'' (Interplay, 1995), and ''VideoGame/{{Anvil of Dawn}}'' ([=DreamForge=]/NWC, 1995). It was also during the Dark Ages that the ''VideoGame/{{Exile}}'' series (Spiderweb Software, 1995–1997) emerged as likely the first indie WRPG in modern sense; its creator Jeff Vogel went on to develop many successful indie [=RPGs=] over the next two decades: ''VideoGame/{{Nethergate}}'' (1998), ''VideoGame/{{Avernum}}'' (2000–2009, rebooted in 2011), ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' (2001–2008), ''VideoGame/{{Avadon}}'' (2011–2016).

* '''Distribution''': Digital multi-channel, commonly including UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, Website/GOGDotCom, and other DRM-free distributors.

A decade into the Modern Age, a curious phenomenon occurred in the genre: an increasing number of RPG developers, both old guard and new blood, are tackling an almost forgotten market niche between AAA and {{Arthouse Game}}s--the medium-budget, PC-only "B titles". This flavor of WesternRPG seemed to have died off (the Jeff Vogel phenomenon notwithstanding) before being rediscovered thanks to the emergence of affordable game tech and new business models. The term "Renaissance" was coined for this movement because the vast majority of such [=RPGs=] are (often explicit) throwbacks to the Golden and Silver Ages and set out to marry the gameplay and story ideas of the older games with modern advances in video game technology and gameplay design.

* ''VideoGame/UnderworldAscendant'' (TBR 2018). A throwback to and continuation of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', Kickstarted by former Origin Systems and Looking Glass Studios veterans. Ties in with ''Shroud of the Avatar''.
* ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'' (TBR). A throwback to and continuation of the Golden Age fantasy classic ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'', Kickstarted by former Interplay veterans.

When reminiscing about the Silver Age, most people think of the Gold Box's successor--the Infinity Engine (the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and the ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' duology, by Creator/BioWare and Creator/BlackIsle, 1998–2002), but it's unfair to identify it with the entire period. Both ''Fallout'' and ''Diablo'' received sequels and a [[FollowTheLeader slew of imitators]], while ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' (Creator/IonStorm, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2001), ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' (Creator/GasPoweredGames, 2002), and ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' (Creator/{{Larian|Studios}}, 2002) managed to start successful series that found their place in the Modern Age. Other games [[StillbornFranchise never got a sequel]] and are now undeservedly forgotten: ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}'' (Delphine, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Revenant}}'' (Cinematix, 1999), ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}'' (Westwood, 2000), ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeRedemption Vampire: Redemption]]'' (Nihilistic Software, 2000), ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum|OfSteamworksAndMagickObscura}}'' (Creator/{{Troika|Games}}, 2001), ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' (Digital Tome, 2001), ''VideoGame/{{Lionheart|LegacyOfTheCrusader}}'' (Reflexive, 2003) etc. The ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' series ([=BioWare=]/Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}}, 2002–2009) and ''VideoGame/TheTempleOfElementalEvil'' (Troika, 2003) would become the swan songs of this era.

If Golden and Silver Age [=RPGs=] were {{Doorstopper}}s, the Modern Age ones are {{Epic Movie}}s. Having sat out on most of the Silver Age (cross-genre spin-offs notwithstanding), ''The Elder Scrolls'' came back in force to herald a new age of Western [=RPGs=]: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (Bethesda, 2002) was a massive MultiPlatform fully-3D hand-crafted WideOpenSandbox, and was followed closely by ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' ([=BioWare=], 2003)--a massive MultiPlatform 3D hand-crafted narrative RPG with fully voiced dialogues. This new model of Western RPG let them challenge {{Eastern RPG}}s on their console home turf but came with heftier production costs than ever before, slowly turning the genre into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_%28game_industry%29 AAA domain]] of a few big studios, chief among whom were [=BioWare=] (which was acquired by Creator/ElectronicArts), Bethesda (which struck the deal of the century in 2007 by purchasing ''Fallout'' from Interplay), and Blizzard (mainly known for their ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' MMO, 2004–). Troika didn't survive the ill-fated release of ''[[VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines Vampire: Bloodlines]]'' (2003)--a game well regarded today but riddled with bugs upon release--but Obsidian managed multiple times to hang on by the skin of their teeth, and Creator/CDProjektRED joined the big club in 2007 with their SleeperHit ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''. Smaller studios and their series remain largely overshadowed by the big ones: ''Gothic'', ''Dungeon Siege'', ''Divinity'', ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' (Ascaron, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (Creator/{{Lionhead|Studios}}, 2004–), ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}}'' (Runic Games, 2009–), ''VideoGame/{{Risen}}'' (Pirahna Bytes, 2009–), etc.

* ''VideoGame/TheFaeryTaleAdventure'' ([=MicroIllusions=], 1987): Likely the first Western ActionRPG, a proto-''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}''-"clone".

* ''VideoGame/UnderworldAscendant'' (TBR). A throwback to and continuation of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', Kickstarted by former Origin Systems and Looking Glass Studios veterans. Ties in with ''Shroud of the Avatar''.

* Harebrained Games' ''Shadowrun'' trilogy: ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'' (2013), ''Shadowrun: Dragonfall'' (2014), and ''Shadowrun: Hong Kong'' (2015).

* ''VideoGame/ShroudOfTheAvatarForsakenVirtues'' (TBR). A throwback to the Golden Age sandbox [=RPGs=] like ''VideoGame/UltimaVII'' and early [=MMORPGs=], specifically, ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'', Kickstarted by former Origin Systems veterans.

* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternityIIDeadfire'' (TBR). A sequel to the original ''Pillars of Eternity'', also crowdfunded on Fig.co.