Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons without waypoints: Invoke Studios explains design choice
In brief
- Invoke Studios confirms Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons is being made without traditional waypoints or quest markers.
The game will still include a compass at the top of the screen, though IGN reports that players can turn that navigation aid off. Further details about other aids or the Mystery system are not yet known.
IGN also describes Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons as an open-world, single-player action-adventure. The outlet notes that the studio previously worked on open-world games with waypoint guidance, including projects within Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs series.
What happened
During gamescom 2026, Dominic Guay of Invoke Studios explained the navigation approach for Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons. According to IGN, the studio wants to move away from traditional waypoints that send players directly from one objective to the next. The article was published on 2026-09-15 and is based on comments Guay made during the event.
Guay said the goal is for players to earn discoveries themselves rather than simply following a marker. The game is therefore meant to lean on exploration, NPC interaction, and the player’s own judgment. IGN summarizes that design choice as a deliberate attempt to offer less handholding than many other open-world games.
IGN also says Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons has a compass at the top of the screen. That feature can be disabled, but the outlet does not provide further technical details on exactly how extensive the compass is. There is also no confirmation of additional navigation tools beyond that compass, or of how much the interface can be customized.
The game is described in the article as an open-world, single-player action-adventure. IGN also mentions a Mystery system that is triggered when players perform certain actions, but the available information stops short of explaining how it works. It is also not confirmed which specific triggers, rewards, or consequences are tied to that system.
Timeline
2026-09-15: IGN publishes an article about Invoke Studios’ design choice for Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons and quotes Dominic Guay on the absence of traditional waypoints.
gamescom 2026: Dominic Guay explains on behalf of Invoke Studios that the game is being developed without traditional waypoints and that players should earn discoveries themselves.
2026-09-15: IGN reports that the game will still have a disableable compass at the top of the screen and describes Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons as an open-world, single-player action-adventure.
2026-09-15: The same article also refers to a Mystery system, although its exact function and conditions remain unclear.
Background
Guay said the team has previously worked on other open-world games with waypoint guidance, including Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs series. IGN does not name specific titles or projects, but uses that background to frame the studio’s design choice. That places Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons in contrast with a development history where navigation assistance was more common.
For now, the confirmed information is limited to the direction of the design: less direct navigation help and more emphasis on self-discovery. Details about the Mystery system, the exact role of the compass, and any changes before release have not yet been confirmed. It is also not known whether the current navigation setup will be adjusted later or kept unchanged through launch.
The source also notes that Guay’s comments were made at gamescom 2026 and that the article appeared on 2026-09-15. That makes the timing of the explanation clear, but not the game’s full production plan. Based on the available information, no concrete platform details, release date, or additional gameplay systems have been confirmed in the article.
IGN reported on 2026-09-15 that Dominic Guay explained the navigation choice in Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons at gamescom 2026. The source also mentions the compass, the lack of traditional waypoints, and the broad description of the game as an open-world, single-player action-adventure.