D&D gave us the best RPG of all time, then abandoned its world

March 22, 2026 - 02:37

The world of Dungeons & Dragons has spawned countless video game adaptations, but few have achieved the legendary status of 1999's Planescape: Torment. Hailed by critics and fans as one of the greatest role-playing games ever created, it offered a profound narrative experience set in the bizarre and philosophically rich multiverse of Sigil, the City of Doors. Its story asked unforgettable questions about mortality, identity, and redemption, all delivered through writing of exceptional depth.

Yet, despite this monumental success, the unique setting was quietly shelved. While the broader Forgotten Realms became the default backdrop for subsequent D&D video games like the Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate series, the strange planar realms of Planescape were left unexplored. For over two decades, no major studio returned to craft a new tale within its distinctive, otherworldly confines.

This abandonment remains a poignant "what if" for the RPG community. Planescape: Torment proved that video games could deliver literary-quality storytelling within a tabletop framework, pushing the medium's narrative boundaries. Its setting was a character in itself, full of infinite possibilities. That such a fertile ground for stories has remained fallow for so long is considered by many a significant lost opportunity, leaving the masterpiece to stand alone as a singular, unrepeated triumph in gaming history.