I think that D&D is having a good moment thanks to the Stranger Things (mainstream) and Critical Role (but you have to at know what a RPG is to at least know Critical Role), then the offer got expanded by a lot of podcasts, streaming sessions, Vox Machina animation and so on. Consider the pandemic lockdown, people started checking the game and its rules. And they got a game that doesn't have a lot of players' option that can confuse people like 3.X (only Xanathar and Tasha are the core books about this), or the complex game that is the 4th edition, or the not so clear 1e and 2e.
I think (but it's a my idea) that 5e was the right offer at the same time the demand rose. Maybe, maybe, an updated B/X - BECMI - RC game could have made an impression too, being really easy to grasp. And remember: D&D for common people will always means RPG, like Coca Cola is a common name for "cola soda".
I think (but it's a my idea) that 5e was the right offer at the same time the demand rose. Maybe, maybe, an updated B/X - BECMI - RC game could have made an impression too, being really easy to grasp. And remember: D&D for common people will always means RPG, like Coca Cola is a common name for "cola soda".