As Owlcat Games marks its tenth anniversary, the studio behind beloved titles like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader has emerged as one of the most significant players in the role-playing game industry. In a revealing interview with PCGamesN, studio co-founder and creative director Alexander Mishulin offered insights into the company’s trajectory, confirming that despite ambitious new projects venturing into action-RPG territory, Owlcat remains firmly committed to the hardcore CRPG experiences that built its reputation among dedicated fans.
The studio’s growth has been nothing short of remarkable. What began as a relatively modest operation in Moscow has transformed into a development powerhouse with approximately 600 employees, now headquartered in Paphos, Cyprus. This expansion places Owlcat among the largest RPG developers in the world, rivaling and in some cases surpassing industry veterans like Larian Studios and Obsidian Entertainment.
A Firm Commitment to Classic RPG Design
“We will continue to make CRPGs because we love them,” Mishulin declared when addressing questions about the studio’s direction. “We do not want to become stagnant. We will be trying different approaches for our RPG games, trying to find the best possible fit for the idea of the game.” This statement arrives at a crucial moment for the CRPG genre, which has experienced a renaissance in recent years thanks to titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Owlcat’s own Pathfinder series. The creative director emphasized that passion drives the studio’s work: “We want to create the best possible RPGs, we like them, we play them, we get inspired by them and we want our games to feel the same, that we would enjoy them ourselves and hope that they will inspire someone else to create even better ones.”
Owlcat’s first three games—Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, and Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader—share a common engine, design philosophy, and structural DNA. Each places players in positions of significant power, whether as monarchs, crusade commanders, or starship captains leading vast organizations. This distinctive approach to RPG design has carved out a unique niche for the studio, blending traditional CRPG mechanics with strategic management elements reminiscent of light 4X games.
The Expanse: Owlcat’s Mass Effect Challenger
Perhaps the most exciting announcement from Owlcat is The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, an ambitious action-RPG that represents a significant departure from the studio’s established formula. Drawing inspiration from BioWare’s legendary Mass Effect trilogy, this project aims to capture the magic of cinematic, character-driven science fiction storytelling while leveraging Owlcat’s proven expertise in crafting meaningful player choices and consequences. The Expanse universe, based on James S.A. Corey’s acclaimed novel series and the popular television adaptation, provides rich source material for exploring themes of political intrigue, survival, and humanity’s future among the stars.
Simultaneously, the studio is developing Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy, which represents an evolution of their established CRPG formula rather than a complete reinvention. Building on the foundations laid by Rogue Trader, Dark Heresy trades the ruler fantasy and fleet management for an ambitious detective and investigation metagame. Players will step into the shadows of the Imperium, hunting heretics and unraveling conspiracies in what promises to be a highly reactive narrative experience. This dual-project approach mirrors BioWare’s golden era strategy of maintaining both Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises simultaneously.
Rising Among Industry Giants
Owlcat’s 600-person workforce positions the studio remarkably well within the competitive landscape of RPG development. For comparison, Larian Studios—fresh off the monumental success of Baldur’s Gate 3—operates with just over 500 employees. Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, has been reduced to approximately 200 employees following Microsoft’s recent layoffs. Even CD Projekt Red, creators of The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077, maintains around 615 employees at their primary Warsaw studio according to 2023 financial statements.
The contrast with BioWare is particularly striking. Once the undisputed titan of Western RPG development, BioWare has shrunk dramatically following the disappointing reception of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Industry estimates suggest the studio now employs fewer than 100 people, a fraction of the 500-600 staff it maintained during its 2010s peak across the Edmonton, Montreal, and Austin offices. Owlcat’s expansion during a period of widespread industry contraction speaks to both the commercial success of their titles and investor confidence in their vision.
The studio’s relocation from Moscow to Cyprus reflects broader geopolitical realities affecting the game development industry, but has not slowed Owlcat’s momentum. With sufficient manpower to maintain two major RPG projects simultaneously, the studio appears positioned to satisfy both hardcore CRPG enthusiasts and players seeking more accessible action-oriented experiences. As the RPG genre continues to evolve, Owlcat’s commitment to quality, player choice, and narrative depth suggests the studio’s best work may still lie ahead.
Expert Opinion: Owlcat’s strategic positioning is particularly astute given current market conditions. By maintaining their CRPG expertise while expanding into action-RPG territory, they’re hedging against genre fatigue while capitalizing on the post-Baldur’s Gate 3 appetite for complex narrative experiences. Their staffing levels suggest they’re building infrastructure for long-term franchise development rather than single-project cycles, potentially positioning them as BioWare’s spiritual successor in the Western RPG space.
