Jason Carl, the Brand Marketing Manager for the World of Darkness and a central figure in the revival of Vampire: The Masquerade, has announced his departure from Paradox Interactive.
After a decade marked by the turbulent rebirth of White Wolf, the launch of the fifth edition of Vampire, and the rise of actual-play phenomena like LA by Night, Jason Carl is stepping away from the horror setting. He is not leaving the tabletop industry, however, Carl will be joining Tabletop Vacations, the company behind D&D in a Castle, as the Dean of Dungeon Master University.
The move marks the end of a significant era for the World of Darkness. Carl was not merely a corporate spokesperson; for many fans, he was the public face of the franchise during its most critical and controversial transition period. He was instrumental in navigating the brand through the dissolution of the “old” White Wolf and its integration into Paradox Interactive, a period often fraught with friction between legacy expectations and modern sensibilities.
Crucially, Jason Carl is remembered by the community as the executive who took a firm, vocal stance against toxicity. During the early days of the brand’s relaunch, when the hobby was grappling with gatekeeping and hate speech, Carl was the voice that explicitly told the alt-right they were not welcome in the World of Darkness community.
In his farewell statement, Carl framed his departure as the closing of a chapter rather than a complete goodbye.
Jason Carl, Brand Marketing Manager at Paradox Interactive, said in a statement:
After ten unforgettable years with White Wolf, the World of Darkness, and Paradox Interactive, I’m saying farewell. Not as a goodbye, but as the close of one extraordinary chapter in an ongoing story. Working on Vampire: The Masquerade and the greater World of Darkness has been more than a job or a profession for me. It has been a calling, a privilege, and a creative responsibility I’ve cherished deeply.”
Community and Creativity
One of the significant milestones during Carl’s time with the company was the introduction of the Storytellers Vault. Hosted on DriveThruRPG, this community content program allowed fans to create and sell their own material for the World of Darkness. In his farewell message, Carl cited this initiative as a point of personal pride, specifically noting the value of the new voices it brought to the setting.
He also championed the LA by Night actual play series, in which he served as the Storyteller. The show is often credited with doing for Vampire: The Masquerade what Critical Role did for Dungeons & Dragons, demonstrating the system’s narrative power to a new generation of gamers who had never rolled a d10.
However, the timing of the departure is notable. It follows closely on the heels of Paradox Interactive’s recent brand restructuring, dubbed “Darkness Emergent“. This initiative effectively resurrected the White Wolf label as a distinct creative entity within Paradox, bringing roleplaying game development back in-house after years of licensing the IP to partners like Renegade Game Studios.
Carl expressed confidence in the new leadership team taking the reins.
Under the stewardship of Executive Vice President Marco Behrmann, Creative Director Jess Lanzillo, and the extraordinary creative team now shaping the future of the brand (you’ll meet them all soon!), I have absolute confidence that the World of Darkness will continue to thrive, evolve, and surprise us all.”
From Horror to Heroics
Carl’s next destination is a tonal shift from the gothic-punk struggles of the World of Darkness to the high fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons. As the new Dean of Dungeon Master University for Tabletop Vacations, he will focus on education and community building for Dungeon Masters.
I’ll be joining Tabletop Vacations, the creators of D&D in a Castle, as the Dean of Dungeon Master University, a place where Dungeon Masters gather to level up their craft, shape worlds, and kindle the spark of imagination. It is a new realm, but the same calling: to guide, to share, and to help others build their own stories, together.”
The World of Darkness will now move forward under the guidance of Marco Behrmann and Jess Lanzillo, facing the challenge of delivering on the promises of the “Darkness Emergent” restructuring without the brand’s most recognisable ambassador.
