Thomas Shey
Legend
I don't even think I could speculate, because I don't think we understand properly other than right-time, right-place why D&D became what it did.
What game Could "Be" D&D, Culturally?
MGibster
Legend
There's some truth to this. If any one of us really knew what the next big thing could be we'd probably be working on the next big thing right now. But it's fun to speculate sometimes.
Thomas Shey
Legend
I'm thinking more in the terms of "Had D&D not ever existed, what could have took its place?" but like I said, I'm not sure we understand D&D's success fully, so...
BookTenTiger
He / Him
I could see something like Shadowrun having more cultural cachet. The cyberpunk genre is very flexible, iconic, and fun. It looks good in TV and movies, and were there to be cyberpunk media as popular as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, I could imagine it finding purchase in the public consciousness.
Yora
Legend
While there have been people claiming that RPGs were already inevitable before Gygax and Arneson made a deal to create D&D as a product, I think basically all the RPGs that exist have their current shape because of D&D. Be it following in its footsteps or as reactions against its mechanics.
An alternative timeline where D&D does not break out big but another RPG comes through is definitely imaginable. But I think none of the games we know would exist in it. It would be a completely different set of lineages.
An alternative timeline where D&D does not break out big but another RPG comes through is definitely imaginable. But I think none of the games we know would exist in it. It would be a completely different set of lineages.
The reason I posited traveller is that I recall reading somewhere that its genesis was independent of D&D, though I cannot find a reference. If so, it would have the first mover advantage. There was a market, how much did the rules matter?
Just to be clear, I wasn't really talking about a timeline where D&D never existed so much as I was talking about this current massive uptick in interest in RPGs. They are hard to separate of course, and initially at least 5E was popular because it leaned heavily on nerdstalgia, but since its popularity is also driven by celebrity adoption and actual plays,I am curious what else conceivably could have become the Big Thing that made RRPGs mainstream in the 2020s.
infinityman
Explorer
Repeating D&D will be really challenging. That's like making a new Mickey Mouse. Possible sure, probable, not so much. Something the equivalent of it? Possibly Halo.
Tangential but: has there ever been a "significant" TTRPG adaptation of a video game? I can't think of one. Modiphius has Dishonored and Fallout and it seems like they sold well but I don't see them being discussed anywhere with any regularity. Granted, a lot of discussion has moved to venues I don't frequent like dedicated Discord servers. I guess the WoW d20 RPG lasted a few years.
infinityman
Explorer
I've never seen one that worked, seems like it could be quite fruitful though.
