Pentiment director argues in favor of RPGs not ceding all control

July 21, 2026 - 22:29

During a recent interview, Pentiment director Josh Sawyer argued that role-playing games do not need to hand over every decision to the player. He pushed back against the idea that player freedom should always be the top priority in RPG design. Instead, Sawyer suggested that a well-crafted story sometimes benefits from the developer keeping a firm hand on the wheel.

Sawyer, who also worked on classic titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, explained that total player control can actually weaken a game's narrative impact. He pointed out that when players can do anything, the story often becomes shallow or loses its emotional weight. In his view, constraints and authored moments create tension and meaning that pure sandbox freedom cannot deliver.

He used his own game Pentiment as an example. That title lets players shape the story through choices, but it also forces them to live with consequences. The game does not let players save scum or undo major decisions. That lack of total control, Sawyer argued, makes the experience more memorable and more human.

The director also criticized the trend of RPGs trying to please everyone by removing friction. He said that friction is what makes a story feel real. If a game never forces the player to accept a bad outcome, then the good outcomes lose their value. Sawyer's comments challenge the modern assumption that more player agency always equals better design. For him, a good RPG is not a blank check. It is a conversation where the developer still gets to speak.