Owlcat Games has ballooned from a scrappy 15-person outfit into a 600-strong operation, all to chase the high of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader with two very different follow-ups. Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy doubles down on the studio's isometric cRPG strengths, leaning into Inquisitorial investigation and choice-heavy storytelling in the grimdark setting. Meanwhile The Expanse: Osiris Reborn marks a genuine pivot — a third-person, cinematic action RPG on Unreal Engine 5 that chases that Mass Effect vibe the younger talent grew up on.

Co-founder Alexander Mishulin credits Wrath of the Righteous as the real turning point that opened doors with Games Workshop and Alcon Entertainment, even as Rogue Trader's success proved the studio could deliver meaty, consequence-laden RPGs without needing Baldur's Gate 3 numbers. The scale jump isn't just headcount; it's a deliberate bet on taking risks instead of remaking what already works, complete with physics consultants for zero-g blood splatter and authentic Belter Creole.

That growth comes with the usual caveats — multiple projects running in parallel including Rogue Trader support — but the studio insists its passion for deep RPGs remains intact even as it experiments with new cameras and formats. Whether Dark Heresy can top the best Warhammer 40k game conversation or Osiris Reborn scratches that cinematic itch without losing the soul that made Rogue Trader stand out will determine if 600 bodies translate to another cult classic or just another ambitious swing.

The real test isn't the employee roster; it's whether the writing and systems still punch as hard when the team is no longer the underdog.