Critical Role Announces New Streaming Service, Premium Shows, and More

Highlights

• Critical Role announced a new streaming service called Beacon, offering exclusive content and perks for fans of the popular Dungeons and Dragons actual play shows.
• Early access to shows, live event tickets, and access to a special Discord server are included in a Beacon membership, priced at $6 monthly or $60 annually.
• Fans can enjoy same-day access to Critical Role VODs, new shows like Critical Role Abridged, and 10% discount at online stores, while still being able to watch on Twitch and YouTube.

Critical Role just announced Beacon, its new membership and streaming service that includes exclusive bonus content, early access to shows, and other premium perks. Run by Critical Role directly, this new service does not replace existing options like Twitch or YouTube, but is a different platform through which fans can support the company and its Dungeons and Dragons actual play shows.

After getting its start through Geek & Sundry in 2015, Critical Role Productions fully split off from parent company Legendary Digital Networks in 2019 and became an independent multimedia group. Since then, it has launched other Critical Role trade names, including Darrington Press, Metapigeon, and the Critical Role Foundation.

Now, Critical Role has officially revealed its own independent streaming service. Named after the Luxon Beacons from the campaign, Beacon is a new one-stop shop for all things Critical Role. Subscribers gain access to all content on the site, including same day access to Critical Role VODs and podcasts, early access to live show tickets and new shows like Critical Role Abridged, Re-Slayers Take, and Midst, and exclusive access to Critical Role Cooldown and Fireside Chats, two new talk-back shows. Members also get a 10% discount at all Critical Role online shops, as well as access to a special Discord server.

What Is Critical Role’s Beacon Streaming Service?

• A new Critical Role membership service that costs $6 monthly or $60 annually.
  • A 7-day free trial is available, including all the non-sale membership perks.
• Same-Day Access
  • All existing episodes of Critical Role, Candela Obscura, and other shows
  • Critical Role VOD and podcast access
• Early Access
  • Critical Role Abridged, new edited episodes that cut out filler to make each one between 60 and 90 minutes
  • Re-Slayers Take, a spinoff podcast series airing on May 20
  • Midst
  • Live event tickets
• Exclusive Access
  • Members-only Discord server
  • Critical Role Cooldown, a new aftershow that picks up immediately when each episode ends
  • Fireside Chats, a new monthly AMA featuring questions taken from Discord
  • 10% discount on all Critical Role online stores

According to the Critical Role cast, Beacon is the most direct way fans can support the show. Likened to a Patreon without Patreon, Beacon cuts out other corporations from the equation in a way reminiscent of Dimension 20’s Dropout. That said, while Beacon seems like the new go-to for supporting Critical Role, fans will still be able to watch their shows on YouTube and Twitch, and subscribe on either service.

Were that not exciting enough, Critical Role also announced a Bells Hells live show in Los Angeles on June 15. Featuring a 45-minute Q&A pre-show moderated by Dropout’s Brennan Lee Mulligan, subscribers to Beacon will get early access to ticket sales for this show, but everyone can enjoy watching the livestream on June 20.