Owlcat Games has grown from its beginnings as a small team of 15 to a substantial studio of 600 developers, a significant expansion fueled by the success of titles like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. The studio is now working on two major projects: Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, a continuation of its isometric CRPG style, and The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a departure into third-person action RPG territory reminiscent of the Mass Effect series.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, released in 2021, is considered a pivotal title for Owlcat. According to co-founder and creative director Alexander Mishulin, this game demonstrated the studio's capability to consistently deliver successful RPG experiences and helped solidify relationships with IP holders, including Games Workshop for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
Rogue Trader itself was a significant milestone for Owlcat, earning critical acclaim and often cited as one of the best Warhammer 40,000 video games. While its commercial performance was strong, surpassing Wrath of the Righteous in visibility, Mishulin noted it did not reach the viral hit status of games like Baldur's Gate 3. He expressed gratitude for the comparison to Baldur's Gate 3, acknowledging its role in bringing attention to the CRPG genre as a whole and indirectly benefiting other RPG developers.
The Warhammer 40,000 franchise is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, a trend Owlcat has benefited from with Rogue Trader. Mishulin suggested that the studio's game may have also contributed to this