D&D 5E So Why is 5E So Popular?

[Zardnaar]

These are good points but I *strongly* disagree on the nostalgia aspect of 3e and 4e. These were very innovative, very modern games. They did not appeal to nostalgia, perhaps besides a generic "playing D&D" angle. 5e has a return to old school feel that 3e and 4e never had.

3E was heavily marketed in Dragon and Dungeon as a return to classic stuff. Barbarians, Monks, Demons, Devils etc. They even used the 1E names for a lot of their books- MM2, FF, MotP, UA Deities and Demigods etc.

 

[Aldarc]

[MENTION=6716779]Zardnaar[/MENTION]: There is another factor that I would add to your list. 5E (and tabletop games, on the whole) have benefited tangentially from a reemergence of the boardgame hobby into the mainstream. Boardgames are cool now, and they are a considered a viable alternative to "going out" for a group of friends wanting to hang-out together. Tabletop RPGs, particularly D&D because of your aforementioned reasons, are generally regarded as extensions of boardgames in that they involve a group of friends playing a game in person around a table. I know many people who got into D&D 5e not through online streaming of D&D and the like, but, rather, through board game groups. This even includes boardgame-themed bars and the like that also began hosting tabletop RPGs.

Yes, the game being a bit easier to pick up helps once the players are at the table... but in my opinion it's the large amount of streaming and videos to watch that then inspire the players to actually move to the table after they discover exactly what D&D does, allows for, and can open up for them.

I most definitely agree. IME, D&D (and many other tabletop RPGs) do a terrible job of explaining how they are played. It is difficult to get a sense for the game without seeing it played.

Doubtful; PF2 looks more to be a disaster in the making, splitting their pre-existing fanbase, without having learned the lessons of 5E. One of the most important lessons being the slow release schedule.

I think you are projecting your own wishes for PF2's failures more than anything else here.

I don't think PF2 is going to be a 5e killer. You'll get some defectors who want a crunchier system (but not as crunchy as PF1) but overall, I think all it will do is remind WotC that competitors are always watching and not to get lazy. Paizo isn't chasing disaffected 5e players (like they did with 3.5 players) but instead and trying to convert their own base to a newer system (and a sizable portion aren't ready to switch from PF1 to 2, the dangers of marketing your brand to people who don't like change). I'm sure we'll see Paizo's market share rise and WotC's dip soon, but I don't think the swing will be large enough for WotC to lose dominance. Keep in mind, there are plenty of "veteran" players who prefer the lighter 5e system over Paizo's rules-heavier ones.

I largely agree that PF2 will not be a 5e killer. But I admittedly don't want PF2 to kill 5e anymore than I wanted 5e to kill PF1. I'm sorry, but I find it mind-numbingly boring when one game dominates the market to such an extent. However, I do want healthy, vibrant alternatives to whatever is the market leader. That only benefits the hobby by pushing it forward in design innovations. In that regard, I do hope that PF2 does well because I do want a crunchier alternative to 5e. (Also I'm admittedly getting kinda of annoyed by the growing "5e can do no wrong" sentiment that pops up in a number of threads.) There is plenty of room available for both 5e and PF2, and I look forward to the success of these games.

If Critical Role season 2 had abandoned 5e for Pathfinder 2 (Pathfinder being their original system) that might have been interesting but I’m really not seeing any great dissatisfaction with 5e.

I wouldn't be surprised though if Critical Role did not at least give Pathfinder 2 a shot. Matt Mercer is no idiot about the impact his show has on D&D, and given that CR started from Pathfinder, I do think that Paizo will likely make an appeal to Matt Mercer to give the system a trial run.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

For me it was mainly:

1. It is easy to learn and get started.

2. The basic rules are available for free.

 

[S'mon]

I think the accessibility of the rules must be a big part of the reason why 5e is much more popular than 4e or even 3e. To a large extent, 5e does what new players expect it to do. Advertising vis Youtube streamed games etc definitely helps a lot but is not sufficient.

 

[Ancalagon]

3E was heavily marketed in Dragon and Dungeon as a return to classic stuff. Barbarians, Monks, Demons, Devils etc. They even used the 1E names for a lot of their books- MM2, FF, MotP, UA Deities and Demigods etc.

It was marketed that way perhaps (I vaguely remember that), but did 3e really*feel* that way?

(I also note that you dropped 4e )

 

[Horwath]

Also while I didn't like 4E in it's mechanics as many players also didn't, lets not forget that 4E launched right in the middle of 2007-2008 financial crisis.

And 5E is riding high on economic growth from 2014 on(atleast the eurozone).

 

[Valetudo]

It has a very solid core design. Social media has really given it a boost. Its not 4th edition(I made myself sad). Its modern but has some old school flavor. Its release schedule has people hungry for products. It has good 3rd party support(something 4th didnt have). It took back most of the players it lost to pathfinder. And its an easy edition for new players.

 

[Zardnaar]

Also while I didn't like 4E in it's mechanics as many players also didn't, lets not forget that 4E launched right in the middle of 2007-2008 financial crisis.

And 5E is riding high on economic growth from 2014 on(atleast the eurozone).

So did Pathfinder though and other editions have gone through other financial hits as well (1987 etc).

 

[Zardnaar]

It was marketed that way perhaps (I vaguely remember that), but did 3e really*feel* that way?

(I also note that you dropped 4e )

4E was not marketed on nostalgia that much from what I remember. Late 2E/early 3E they did puch the older stuff and adventures like Return to XYZ and the Monk returned in late 2E splat. They also brought Gygax back in Dragon.

 

[Kair0s]

I like that it's so streamlined, and that the characters feel less same-y than in 4th.