Devil worship as a brand

[Umbran]

You know, I've never for a minute considered that those books were marketed to anyone under the age of 20?

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, came out in 1982. Not a single character seen playing the game in that film was in their 20s.

This is before your FLGS was common. The books were marketed to anyone who walked into a hobby shop or the sci-fi section of a bookstore, or some comic book shops in the 1970s and early 80s. That included a lot of adolescent and teenage geeky boys.

 

[Mallus]

I think playing up the heavy metal angle --which is related to Satanism, right?-- while marketing D&D is a great idea.

And I say this as someone who wasn't into metal back when they were getting into D&D.

 

[Hussar]

Prove it.

It was stated in the pages of the magazine, in the later issues. I'd have to go dig it out, but, don't quibble with me, ask the source.

 

[Ulrick]

I would market it like TSR did back in the 1980s with AD&D 1e as a "Game of Adult Fantasy" for "Ages 10 and up."

Adults wouldn't feel like they're playing a kids game, and teens and pre-teens would feel like their playing something adult. Let the audience themselves chose whether or not they can "handle" the game.

 

[Rygar]

Why stick to one demographic? Go full bore. Kre-o toys for kids, cool models for teens, a Michael Baysplosion hackfest movie or three. Fantastic.

Thing is, once you've tapped into that, then you can really start to go wild. Do you think we would have gotten a live action Marvel tv show without the movies first? The only way we could get Wonder Woman on the big screen was to have a few big tent movies milk the cash cow. If the last Superman movie had tanked, then forget about it.

Go full blitz media.

I think this is an important statement and an interesting proposition.

If one thinks of D&D as a "Chasis", and the setting/theme specific stuff as the "Body", it's possible to envision any IP as a D&D variant. You could theoretically have a Transformers, GI Joe, or even Harry Potter setting. You could have Anime, Heroic, and Gritty play.

Theoretically speaking, WOTC could use D&D as a platform for any number of experiences, each targetted at different demographics. WOTC could turn D&D into a platform much like the X-Box or Playstation.

That would solve many of the concerns about trying to appeal to different demographics and playstyles.

 

[GSHamster]

I don't know. To me, this sounds as if someone was trying to turn D&D into Vampire: the Masquerade in the 1990s.

To me, the path would be that someone who started with D&D moved into V:tM as they grew older. I can see a group of D&D-playing friends move into V:tM and maybe pick up some new people.

I don't see a group of adults who don't roleplay picking up V:tM. I do see a group of youngsters who don't roleplay picking up D&D and trying it out. And heroic fantasy just works better with that age group. That's the age group that falls in love with Dragonlance and Raistlin and Driz'zt.

I guess it really all depends on how people come to D&D. I think that the GoT mechanism might be good for existing adult D&D players to attract new adults. However, I don't see it working to add new groups who are unconnected to previously-existing groups.

 

[JustinCase]

Perhaps it is not a question of which audience to target, but rather increasing brand recognition by making television ads where (young) adult friends gather to roleplay a number of different genres.

One could focus on an Assassin's Creed-esque mission, while another could focus on a crime-solving film noir mystery, and the next on 'classic fantasy'. I imagine they'll show some people who tell their stories around a table while the image changes to their characters 'doing their thing' in the respective worlds.

Showcasing the versatility and freedom that is inherent in (tabletop) RPGs and using the best-known brand thereof, D&D could interest all sorts of people who are even remotely interested in roleplaying, fantasy, or co-op games; kids and adults alike.

 

[M.L. Martin]

I've seen variations of the idea in the OP mentioned in several places, and this is my first chance to set out my personal response:

If the only way for D&D to be successful is to market it as "Satan's Game", then not only does the game deserve to die, I'll shed no tears for its death.

I really don't think that's the only way, or even the best way, to market D&D. Heck, I'm wondering if we're heading for a backlash against all the grittiness and nihilism, and D&D might be better served trying to capture people who have grown up on things like Adventure Time, MLP: Friendship is Magic and Monster High.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Similarly, the comic book companies keep trying to reinvent themselves to be a children's medium, like they were a long time ago. It never works, but they keep trying it over and over.

Actually, DC Comics has acquired quite the negative reputation for focusing like a laser on the "male, 20-40" demographic over the past few years.

 

[EnglishLanguage]

Please no. I've only started D&D recently, but the whole satanic vibe is what put me off of it for the longest time, and even today I still have idiots who assume I'm slipping into satan worship because I'm playing a freakin roleplaying game. My first experience with D&D was playing as a Cleric for crying out loud.