Skip to content
GameOverHere
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • Xbox
GameOverHere
GameOverHere
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • Xbox
GameOverHere
  PC  Game of Thrones RTS has a dragon R&D team dedicated to answering burning questions like ‘do the dragons explode when they die?’
PC

Game of Thrones RTS has a dragon R&D team dedicated to answering burning questions like ‘do the dragons explode when they die?’

AdminAdmin—June 17, 20250

HBO’s first Game of Thrones series didn’t feature nearly enough dragon scenes, if you ask me. My favorite mythical beasties mostly showed up for a passing greeting or to die within seconds, but it sounds like that’s a problem PlaySide’s upcoming RTS, Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, could remedy.

“The dragons have been a big focus for us,” game director Ryan McMahon told me during a Summer Game Fest interview. “We’ve actually got a bit of an R&D team specifically for dragons. People, as well as projects, that are dedicated to just making the dragons.”

A dragon from Game of Thr ones: War for Westeros as it lights other ground units on fire with its breath

Advertisement
(Image credit: PlaySide Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive)

Even as someone who read and watched it all, I’m still impressed by how thorough and intense fans get in Game of Thrones lore debates. McMahon said the PlaySide team finds themselves in many of those same debates, which are complicated by unreliable character sources and differences between the books and shows.


Related Articles

There’s one question in particular they’ve spent ages debating: What happens when a dragon dies?

More stories

Rematch: 3 Million Xbox Players, a Record Breaking Beta, and the Future Beyond Season 0

July 27, 2025

Today’s Wordle answer for Thursday, July 3

July 3, 2025

Today’s Wordle answer for Tuesday, July 29

July 29, 2025

RTX remaster mod for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines looks like witchcraft

July 21, 2025

McMahon didn’t seem fully committed to any one theory just yet, but clearly wants War for Westeros to investigate those details and how it affects the environment. PlaySide’s global head of marketing and communications, Michael McAlister, even chimed in, explaining the questions that came up as they investigated the precedents set by the books and show.

“The dragons are like bombs,” said McAlister. “The implication is that when a dragon crashes into the ground, it explodes like a nuclear bomb. The back and forth about what actually happens when a dragon isn’t alive is absolutely fascinating.”

Gameplay footage from the War For Westeros RTS, showing a dragon breathing fire on a group of human units.

(Image credit: PlaySide Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive)

“You know, in House of the Dragon, you’re going to see them die a lot, and there’s usually some sort of explosion. There are things about why they would explode in death,” said McMahon, referencing their fire breath and different deaths throughout the series. “That’s a really interesting debate. Does it [the explosion] happen all the time? Or does it happen at all?”

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

I can see how that matters when we’re talking strategy on the battlefield. Should I strategically take my own dragon out over an enemy unit so the explosion catches them all? Or do they just sort of crash and roll into the ground? Does it depend on what they hit, like a barrel of explosives? If I get to determine how some iconic Game of Thrones battles play out, then the flying Targaryen beasts will star in them all.

Game of Thrones: War for Westeros – The War Begins | Reveal Dev Diary – YouTube
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros - The War Begins | Reveal Dev Diary - YouTube

Watch On

The original HBO series had its fair share of impressive dragon talent, too, but CGI ain’t free, so they were often relegated to offscreen adventures and distant roaring. Naturally, House of the Dragon has given them a little more airtime, but don’t count on War for Westeros including anything from the prequel, at least not yet.

When I asked if we’d see more characters from the books or HBO’s House of the Dragon, McMahon clarified War for Westeros “is just for the Game of Thrones IP” since the newer series is a separate license. Though he added, “That doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to do forever.”

Advertisement
Nobody understands gambling, especially in video games
Netflix’s new reality show is Pokémon Snap with sharks
Related posts
  • Related posts
  • More from author
PC

Asus TUF A14 (2025) review

August 4, 20250
PC

Today’s Wordle clues, hints and answer for August 2 (#1505)

August 2, 20250
PC

PC’s sky-high growth has carried Japan’s games market on its back for 7 years, but the forecast is it’s set to slow down

July 31, 20250
Load more
Read also
Playstation

Silent Hill f: hands-on report

August 5, 20250
Xbox

Rare Celebrates 40 Years with Ruby-Themed Exclusives and More

August 4, 20250
PC

Asus TUF A14 (2025) review

August 4, 20250
Xbox

Cook Serve Forever Launches with a Banger Soundtrack and Celebrity Voice Actors

August 3, 20250
Playstation

THQ Nordic’s annual showcase event recap

August 3, 20250
Xbox

THQ Nordic Gets You in the Game at 2025 Digital Showcase

August 2, 20250
Load more
Recent Posts
  • Silent Hill f: hands-on report
  • Rare Celebrates 40 Years with Ruby-Themed Exclusives and More
  • Asus TUF A14 (2025) review
  • Cook Serve Forever Launches with a Banger Soundtrack and Celebrity Voice Actors
  • THQ Nordic’s annual showcase event recap
  • THQ Nordic Gets You in the Game at 2025 Digital Showcase
  • Today’s Wordle clues, hints and answer for August 2 (#1505)
  • What Do Greek Heroes Do After Death? Find Out Now in Achilles: Survivor
  • Shantae’s new costumes revealed in Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution
  • Looks like everyone’s gonna want to play Blade in Marvel Rivals
    © 2024, All Rights Reserved.
    • About us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Disclaimer
    • Cookie Law
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions