Publisher SNEG has announced the Gold Box series of classic RPGs are coming to Steam PC on March 29. Over 20 games from the 80s and 90s will be available, organized into eight collections.
The older RPGs will include several quality of life improvements, including DOSBox updates, a unified launcher, party transfer tool, and companion apps — including auto-mapping, huzzah!
The following collections will be available on Steam:
- Forgotten Realms: The Archives Collection One (Eye of the Beholder I, II, and III)
- Forgotten Realms: The Archives – Collection Two (Curse of the Azure Bonds, Gateway to the Savage Frontier, Hillsfar, Pools of Darkness, Pool of Radiance, Secret of the Silver Blades, Treasures of the Savage Frontier, and Unlimited Adventures)
- Forgotten Realms: The Archives – Collection Three (Dungeon Hack, Menzoberranzan)
- Krynn series (Champions of Krynn, Death Knights of Krynn, The Dark Queen of Krynn)
- Dark Sun series (Shattered Lands, Wake of the Ravager)
- Ravenloft series (Strahd’s Possession, Stone Prophet)
- D&D Stronghold: Kingdom Simulator
- Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse
“Even decades after their original release, the Gold Box games are seen by many as iconic Dungeons & Dragons digital experiences, and they practically defined computer RPGs, ” said Oleg Klapovskiy, director, SNEG. “Now, I’m overjoyed that we get to fulfill our dream of bringing these RPG gems back to PC gamers on Steam while introducing them to a new audience!”
The “Gold Box” computer RPGs were so named due to the literal gold-colored boxes the games were sold in. Publisher SSI acquired the license in the 80s to produce video games based on the Dungeons & Dragons rules, monsters, and setting. Between 1988 and 1992 they developed an astonishing 11 games that used what is now referred to as the Gold Box engine (everything in Collection Two, plus the Krynn series).
Although commonly referred to as Gold Box games, the Eye of the Beholder series (and other games listed above) used a different, slightly more sophisticated engine, but were similar in gameplay and theme. The Gold Box engine games featured tactical, turn-based combat, where as the Beholder series (and its ilk) featured first-person, real-time combat.
These classic D&D games will be available on Steam beginning on March 29. They’re also available on GOG.
