Owner Chase McAllister on the Immersive Role-Playing Experience at Blaine’s Badwolf Adventure Studios

It was in December 2021 that I discovered Badwolf Adventure Studios, an independent game store located in Blaine that hosts tabletop gaming sessions. Its goal is to bring an immersive experience to role-playing by featuring catered music, lighting, and interactive digital maps, and allowing for custom miniatures to be created on-site.

For almost two years now, I have been playing in one of those campaigns at Badwolf, and I’ve met owner Chase McAllister several times in person throughout that time. He was nice enough to sit down with me to discuss how Badwolf Adventure Studios came to be and his partnerships with the local community.

Courtesy of Bad Wolf Adventure Studios

The idea of starting Badwolf grew gradually out of Chase’s love of role-playing. “Like many, I started playing D&D on a whim after some friends expressed interest in trying. I discovered some great resources online, like Critical Role, and quickly fell into the dungeon master seat,” he says. Having previously launched an Etsy store helped provide a foundation for the physical business: “Our Etsy store was finding success, and my painting skills were improving to a level worth being paid for. I had a fantastic play group that was already paying a good chunk of money each month with many more friends wanting in. I started to see that there was a genuine path to success for a business by using all these skill sets and bringing our unique game to others and giving other players a smooth onboarding experience.”

The final push to open Badwolf was, in part, the pandemic. “COVID slowed down our group for a few weeks before we started playing online and realizing that we could maintain the quality and expand to players in other states from our friends we met online was the last major piece that convinced me to open Badwolf,” Chase says.

Badwolf offers four different types of sessions for kids and adults to choose from. The first is Learn-to, where a professional game master instructs players on their topic—whether that’s 5e, painting miniatures, or GMing a game. The second is Adventures, where players go on a three- to four-hour adventure that Chase describes as “similar to going to the movies or an escape room.” He says, “We offer Adventures where players simply need to show up, or Adventures where we heavily collaborate with the players and build it to be their perfect session. This is a great way to try professional game mastering and the experience we offer.” The third session type is Campaign, a long-form group intended to run for months to years. “We offer any and all styles of play, and our professional game masters work with each player to ensure a great fit with your party,” Chase explains. “These groups often create lasting relationships and friendships, and it’s awesome to see this happen.” Finally, there is the birthday or celebrations option, for which Badwolf will create a themed event for your party. In the case of kids’ parties, parents have the option of hanging out in the lounge area, where they can relax and access the Wi-Fi.

It’s worth noting that unlike some game stores, Badwolf charges for its tabletop sessions. “We completely understand the stigma of charging and also understand that some people will find this totally against their view of the game,” Chase says. “At Badwolf we have amazing tables, screens, miniatures, printers, lighting, digital maps, and many other fantastic features that absolutely do take your gameplay to an entirely new level of quality, and those do have a cost associated on our end, but one of the major things that customers are paying for is commitment. Commitment from Badwolf to always have a polished session, a safe and clean place, and a great time when you show up. Commitment from the player next to you that they will attend, be present, and be giving you their full attention.” Sessions are typically $30 each.

Having been playing at Badwolf for a while, I can say that my experience has been nothing but positive. It doesn’t feel like a standard role-playing session—I really feel transported into the world that our group is in. My favorite part is seeing the map laid out on the built-in monitors the studio’s tables have. It helps me think through various scenarios in the mindset of my character. Paying to play may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has been a game-changer for me in my experience playing tabletop RPGs.

In addition to sessions at its own space in Blaine, Badwolf hosts events at other local venues, including Hidden MN—where there’s a free Learn-to-Play D&D Night on the second Monday of each month—and White Bear Meadery—”Such a cool place with amazing decorations,” Chase says. “Another great partner of ours is Torg Brewery in Coon Rapids, which has been a great ally for us since we opened. Dave is a great guy, and their beers are fantastic.” And players in Badwolf’s Friday-night D&D sessions at the studio can grab a slice of pizza during their gaming break courtesy of Toppers.

You can learn more about the studio or book a session at BadwolfAdventureStudios.com.