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<blockquote data-quote="N'raac" data-source="post: 6204997" data-attributes="member: 6681948">I think it should be pretty obvious that the materials which inspired D&amp; would predate D&amp;D.&nbsp; I'm not sure how relevant citing fantasy movies or TV is to assessing the popularity or cultural impact of D&amp;D.&nbsp; I believe a lot of D&amp;D players were also readers of LoTR, Lovecraft, Moorcock, Leiber, Howard et al, and were interested in playing D&amp;D as a result.&nbsp; I don't think many people had their first exposure to the fantasy genre (or the S&amp;S subgenre) thrugh D&amp;D and went on to read books and watch movies in the genre.&nbsp; I think the source material (hence that name...) came first for the vast majority.There were D&amp;D cites on TV in the past.&nbsp; I'm pretty sure the radio announcer on That 70's Show tried to tempt the characters into a D&amp;D game offering that &quot;You can play the Elf&quot;, and I recall a furore some years earlier when Jesse featured a D&amp;D game focused on &quot;funny hats&quot; and statements like &quot;There are no telephones in the Labyrinth of Doom&quot;.&nbsp; But mainstream media seems much more aware of D&amp;D today.&nbsp; It's lasted several decades, so there is more awareness.Is it off the shelves?&nbsp; I remember D&amp;D being available in the local K-Mart - the old boxed set, though, not a full line by any means.&nbsp; But I see the books in major bookstores now (again, D&amp;D -&nbsp; not a lot of other RPG's).&nbsp; However, the main source then was hobby shops and the main source now is specialty stores, so little has changed in that regard.&nbsp; I question whether it was a fad played by millions.&nbsp; I never got that sense, but there were likely pockets where it caught on big for a short period.&nbsp; Intellivision licensed it for a while.Does it matter?&nbsp; Superheroes are more in the public eye than ever, but comic book sales are pretty poor and have been declining for decades.&nbsp; The IP has value, but the source of that IP - not so much.It does beg the question what a &quot;success&quot; means for D&amp;D or D&amp;D Next.&nbsp; Does it mean &quot;Hasbro Success&quot; with sales and staying power like Battleship or Candyland?&nbsp; I suspect a roaring success (say top decile of product releases) by RPG standards wouldn't impress Hasbro much.&nbsp; RPG's cater to a smaller market than the Hasbo boys are used to being in.&nbsp; Now, maybe if they brought the game down to the age 9 - 12 level and marketed it heavily (say as heavily as Pokémon has been marketed), they'd get sales.&nbsp; How many of us would be happy with a D&amp;D edition focused on the 9&nbsp; 12 demographic?So how do we define &quot;success&quot; for D&amp;D Next or for D&amp;D as a whole?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="N'raac, post: 6204997, member: 6681948"] I think it should be pretty obvious that the materials which inspired D& would predate D&D. I'm not sure how relevant citing fantasy movies or TV is to assessing the popularity or cultural impact of D&D. I believe a lot of D&D players were also readers of LoTR, Lovecraft, Moorcock, Leiber, Howard et al, and were interested in playing D&D as a result. I don't think many people had their first exposure to the fantasy genre (or the S&S subgenre) thrugh D&D and went on to read books and watch movies in the genre. I think the source material (hence that name...) came first for the vast majority. There were D&D cites on TV in the past. I'm pretty sure the radio announcer on That 70's Show tried to tempt the characters into a D&D game offering that "You can play the Elf", and I recall a furore some years earlier when Jesse featured a D&D game focused on "funny hats" and statements like "There are no telephones in the Labyrinth of Doom". But mainstream media seems much more aware of D&D today. It's lasted several decades, so there is more awareness. Is it off the shelves? I remember D&D being available in the local K-Mart - the old boxed set, though, not a full line by any means. But I see the books in major bookstores now (again, D&D - not a lot of other RPG's). However, the main source then was hobby shops and the main source now is specialty stores, so little has changed in that regard. I question whether it was a fad played by millions. I never got that sense, but there were likely pockets where it caught on big for a short period. Intellivision licensed it for a while. Does it matter? Superheroes are more in the public eye than ever, but comic book sales are pretty poor and have been declining for decades. The IP has value, but the source of that IP - not so much. It does beg the question what a "success" means for D&D or D&D Next. Does it mean "Hasbro Success" with sales and staying power like Battleship or Candyland? I suspect a roaring success (say top decile of product releases) by RPG standards wouldn't impress Hasbro much. RPG's cater to a smaller market than the Hasbo boys are used to being in. Now, maybe if they brought the game down to the age 9 - 12 level and marketed it heavily (say as heavily as Pokémon has been marketed), they'd get sales. How many of us would be happy with a D&D edition focused on the 9 12 demographic? So how do we define "success" for D&D Next or for D&D as a whole? [/QUOTE]

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