The future of Dungeons & Dragons

Current success, issues with the fantasy tabletop game

Preston J. Collins collipre000@hsestudents.org

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has been a trademark of growth in the past few years, expanding to new audiences through the use of online media and advertising. The current movie and previous representation in Stranger Things a few years ago helped the game become widespread.

“D&D has had a sort of ‘renaissance’ since the debut of fifth edition in 2014 and I’ve been fortunate to see it continue to flourish amidst other supporting pop culture IPs like Stranger Things, Critical Role, etc,” owner and operator of Venatus Maps Tyler Fewell said.

Though the knowledge of the game has expanded, recently there have been many concerns for the future of the series; the parent company, Wizards of The Coast has attempted fundamental changes to the open game license. These changes restrict what people can create through personal means for purchase and consumption in the community. The open game license was originally intended to allow individuals to build whatever they desired and distribute their creations while Wizards of The Coast maintained authority to supervise the content created. These changes were silenced recently due to backlash, currently appearing as if the players have emerged victorious.

“Fifth edition is in a solid position,” YouTube creator Blaine Simple said. “Dungeons and Dragons dodged a bullet this time.”

Simple is a Dungeons and Dragons creator on YouTube, known for his fun animations, storytelling and consistent content. Simple also maintains a patreon for his ‘Anime Into D&D’ content, even creating an entire book of custom content for sale to his supporters. The book contains his team’s creations and additions to the game, including new classes, items and monsters. These all create additional experiences for players. The open game license (OGL) is especially important to people who create content for the game like Simple, meaning the game license is fundamental for business.

“The current OGL is in creative commons and that is perfectly fine,” Simple said. “Fifth edition for the most part is saved.”

While the game’s future appears stable, some do not follow the current events. Due to the rise in current online media, many students and players are starting to get involved by joining clubs or online groups, not paying attention to media other than culture references.

“I’ve heard of the game license a little bit,” Dungeons and Dragons club sponsor Jacob Kapitan said. “I don’t really keep up with the community. If there’s a headline I’ll read it but I won’t seek the information.”

Dungeons and Dragons is a game that allows players to do anything they want with the game. It is acceptable to change the rules and the way the group plays, often altering the way people interact with the community. The appeal of connecting online and discussing rules rather than with a table of friends is not a reality for some players. The reasons people play the game often impacts the way they interact with their groups. The feeling of safety builds the extent of community.

“It is creativity incarnate,” student teacher Daniel Pearcy said. Pearcy plays the game with multiple groups in his free time and has interacted with the club in some meetings. “The game is everything you could want in storytelling, action and drama. It’s all dependent on you and your players and wherever you as a group are comfortable going. It’s a safe place.”

A safe environment is something that many players value in D&D, allowing the game to reach many audiences through friendship and currency.

“I play Dungeons and Dragons because it’s fun,” freshmen Maximus Hutcheson said. “I started because my friend told me I should play. It’s just a good time.”

At the core of the experience, the game is supposed to be fun for anyone who is interested and allows anyone to utilize the tools at their disposal to add to the experience. The game’s variety in experiences allows a future that is effectively a growing collective imagination. The game, despite the current situation, has a growing future due to online media and mainstream attention.

“It is one of the most mainstream tabletop RPGs (role playing games) and with that mainstream nature comes ease of access and usability,” Simple said. “You can just find yourself going to an area or meetup with people doing the same hobby and can bond around it.”

The accessibility of the game is also expanding with the adaptation of the internet and communities.

“I play online because it makes it easier to get groups together,” Simple said.

D&D has been transitioning to become more accessible to anyone with an interest in playing. While the game has faced many setbacks with recent attempted alterations and community protest, the game is being adapted to new players at an alarming rate. With the rise in online play and utilities, community engagement, and new players, the game is in a prime position for stable growth. While the health of D&D is growing, the game’s intended direction has been interpreted by the community.

“The genie’s already out of the bottle,” Pearcy said. “The idea of taking a game and limiting it with the age of the internet is impossible.”