WotC 2020 Was The Best Year Ever For Dungeons & Dragons

[Reynard]

As in most media, the people in their 40s or so are now in charge, and so you are seeing products based on their formative experiences. Ever wonder why D&D nostalgia crept into television and film? Because all the writers and directors grew up in the 80s and 90s playing D&D. It's the same reason we get remakes and reboots every 20 years or so. It's almost as if it's generational...

And just as reliably, some of those of the same age over identify with their favorite formative media and they get upset when these "young whippersnappers" (who are actually their peers) change things. In our current time that includes a lot of things that reflect changing cultural trends, and so some folks throw about "politics" as a sticking point. But the reality is it's creative people being in a position to play with their favorite toys again.

Imagine 20 years down the road when a new fan now snorts derisively at the new and improved 10th Edition with its arcanoborg PC phenotype. That's you right now.

 

[BookTenTiger]

So you want WOTC to start running Adventure League in nursing homes and Senior centers to get more older people to play?

I think that would be amazing. I've got to imagine D&D is a pretty healthy for the mind (despite some of what you read here), and it's a great social activity too. Perfect for the elderly!

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Many older gamers seem to disagree.

Disagree with what?

That CURSE OF STRAHD was their bestselling adventure? That VGR was spearheaded by Wes Schneider?
Those seem hard to debate

Or do you mean older gamers disagree that they don't have to make books based on nostalgia?
Well they would, but they no longer matter
72% of the audience is below 34 and only familiar with 5th and 4th Ed. Ya can't have nostalgia for adventures and an edition written before you were born. 4th Ed nostalgia might become more important

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Disagree with what?

That CURSE OF STRAHD was their bestselling adventure? That VGR was spearheaded by Wes Schneider?
Those seem hard to debate

Or do you mean older gamers disagree that they don't have to make books based on nostalgia?
Well they would, but they no longer matter
72% of the audience is below 34 and only familiar with 5th and 4th Ed. Ya can't have nostalgia for adventures and an edition written before you were born. 4th Ed nostalgia might become more important

You don't have to experience something yourself to experience nostalgia if you idealize it enough. I know it sounds weird but the imagination is a powerful thing.

Honestly I don't know how nostalgic folks are for 4e given Nerath is a tier 3 setting in popularity.

 

[Parmandur]

Disagree with what?

That CURSE OF STRAHD was their bestselling adventure? That VGR was spearheaded by Wes Schneider?
Those seem hard to debate

Or do you mean older gamers disagree that they don't have to make books based on nostalgia?
Well they would, but they no longer matter
72% of the audience is below 34 and only familiar with 5th and 4th Ed. Ya can't have nostalgia for adventures and an edition written before you were born. 4th Ed nostalgia might become more important

Disagree with your assessment of being included or not.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Or do you mean older gamers disagree that they don't have to make books based on nostalgia?
Well they would, but they no longer matter
72% of the audience is below 34 and only familiar with 5th and 4th Ed. Ya can't have nostalgia for adventures and an edition written before you were born. 4th Ed nostalgia might become more important

So funny enough... you totally CAN have nostalgia for a time before your born, or thing you never had!

Saudade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There a plenty of people who like retro music and movies and say things like, "Man I wish I was an 80s kid," when they're born in the 90s. So there is absolutely an appeal even among younger folks for products that predated they're gaming life.

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Disagree with your assessment of being included or not.

Didn't say anything bout being included
Some old gamers might feel included or like the new products. But that don't mean WizCo is setting out to include them
Their inclusion is accidental

WizCo is making books for the 70% of players who are young and new to the game
And looking to make products that will bring in MORE young and new players not currently playing
They're not setting out to exclude old gamers. They're just focusing on new gamers and any old gamers that keep playing are a bonus

 

[Northern Phoenix]

The age thing seems to have struck a nerve huh? I remember it did last time they posted the numbers too! When i first joined this forum, i was in the youngest demographic and 5e had just come out. Now I'm in the 20+ category, and the generation younger than mine are exploding into the DnD community.

The continued success of DND is such a great thing, i just wish spaces like this were more welcoming. I'm a bit of an outlier among younger fans in that i enjoy old-style forums in addition to (but not instead of!) newer forms of discussion media for discussing and having be a part of the hobby, but i don't think that is just random preference. As a younger DnD player, you need to have a metaphorical thick skin to get past the nostalgic and sometimes passive agressive naval gazing that often permeates forums like this (or GitP, etc) when you just want to talk about the game you love (DND 5e), which creates a self-reinforcing spiral as newer people are turned off and the community (as in forums, not DND as a whole) becomes more and more insular.

 

[Rikka66]

Now I'm in the 20+ category, and the generation younger than mine are exploding into the DnD community.

Same generation, if I want to be pedantic. Which I do.

 

[Reynard]

The age thing seems to have struck a nerve huh? I remember it did last time they posted the numbers too! When i first joined this forum, i was in the youngest demographic and 5e had just come out. Now I'm in the 20+ category, and the generation younger than mine are exploding into the DnD community.

The continued success of DND is such a great thing, i just wish spaces like this were more welcoming. I'm a bit of an outlier among younger fans in that i enjoy old-style forums in addition to (but not instead of!) newer forms of discussion media for discussing and having be a part of the hobby, but i don't think that is just random preference. As a younger DnD player, you need to have a metaphorical thick skin to get past the nostalgic and sometimes passive agressive naval gazing that often permeates forums like this (or GitP, etc) when you just want to talk about the game you love (DND 5e), which creates a self-reinforcing spiral as newer people are turned off and the community (as in forums, not DND as a whole) becomes more and more insular.

If you don't mind me asking, do you find that members of forums that make them unwelcoming to be directly or indirectly problematic? I other words,doyoufind folks being passive aggressive to your posts in particular, or do you find that there's just a sort set assumption that forums cater to a certain "generation" of gamers?

I only ask because I -- even as a GenXer who has been a member of ENWorld for spmething like 20 years -- also find forums to be getting less and less welcoming. I just thought it was the influence of other social media but maybe it is something else.