D&D 5E Is 5E Special

[Alby87]

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".

 

[Vaalingrade]

like Coca Cola is a common name for "cola soda".

Spoken like someone who hasn't been offered and orange coke before.

 

[billd91]

In other words: is there something special about 5E that created this moment, or does it "just happen to be" that 5E is the current edition?

Yes, I think 5e is special for a couple of reasons, both of which make it extremely accessible to the potential gaming public:
1) It's a "we've got a bit for everybody" edition and that widens its appeal among the existing players.
2) It's very stream friendly. There's a reason Critical Role turned to it rather than continue with Pathfinder for their streaming show. I don't believe for a second that with their style of play any other edition of D&D after the B/X and AD&D strains would have worked as well. And I don't think CR would have done as well if they were using an old and out of print edition from decades in the past.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

but you have to at know what a RPG is to at least know Critical Role

This isn't true, btw.

A lot of people came across TT RPG streamers before they knew what a TT RPG was. That's the whole thing with streaming and podcasts and so on. People who know little/nothing about the subject matter often discover them.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

people who weren't condescending to them about how they didn't know what a d20 was

This is a not-to-be-understated factor, and good point.

Millennials in general, are a lot less snobby and jerk-y in general about nerdy stuff than Gen-Xers. All the classic "sneering nerd" stereotypes, whilst perhaps predating Gen-X, were certainly very present in Gen-X, and even by the time of Xennials like myself, had dropped off steeply. A lot of my earlier experiences with RPGs were of "sneering nerds" who were older than me (luckily I had a Gen-X cousin who wasn't a sneering nerd, who taught me to play). And I can say that, IRL at least, I've never been that "sneering nerd". It's outside my repertoire. I'm having trouble even thinking of a "sneering nerd" my age or younger, despite being able to think of loads a few years or more older.

And I've seen this apply to Millennials generally - and not just about RPGs - but about all games, and just nerdy subjects in general. There's just way less sneering about people not knowing stuff than with Gen-X. (One example it's easy to see this with is Star Wars - the violence with which opinions about Star Wars are held just drastically increases once you get to like 48-50 or older - 30-somethings or 20-somethings tend to have pretty soft opinions about SW, even if they are big fans, whereas it's easy to find a 50-y/o SW fan who thinks he "owns" SW and is ready to strike down upon anyone who has the "wrong" SW opinions).

 

[payn]

This is a not-to-be-understated factor, and good point.

Millennials in general, are a lot less snobby and jerk-y in general about nerdy stuff than Gen-Xers. All the classic "sneering nerd" stereotypes, whilst perhaps predating Gen-X, were certainly very present in Gen-X, and even by the time of Xennials like myself, had dropped off steeply. A lot of my earlier experiences with RPGs were of "sneering nerds" who were older than me (luckily I had a Gen-X cousin who wasn't a sneering nerd, who taught me to play). And I can say that, IRL at least, I've never been that "sneering nerd". It's outside my repertoire. I'm having trouble even thinking of a "sneering nerd" my age or younger, despite being able to think of loads a few years or more older.

And I've seen this apply to Millennials generally - and not just about RPGs - but about all games, and just nerdy subjects in general. There's just way less sneering about people not knowing stuff than with Gen-X. (One example it's easy to see this with is Star Wars - the violence with which opinions about Star Wars are held just drastically increases once you get to like 48-50 or older - 30-somethings or 20-somethings tend to have pretty soft opinions about SW, even if they are big fans, whereas it's easy to find a 50-y/o SW fan who thinks he "owns" SW and is ready to strike down upon anyone who has the "wrong" SW opinions).

Well us gen-xers didn't have a fully bloomed internets at the palm of our hands like you baby zoomers. Knowing stuff was a lot more impressive then

 

[Oofta]

I think it's a combination of a good game along with cultural shift. The base game is easy to use, fits a lot of styles. In addition it can be easily expanded with everything from home rules to level up to esper genesis.

 

[Reynard]

This is a not-to-be-understated factor, and good point.

Millennials in general, are a lot less snobby and jerk-y in general about nerdy stuff than Gen-Xers. All the classic "sneering nerd" stereotypes, whilst perhaps predating Gen-X, were certainly very present in Gen-X, and even by the time of Xennials like myself, had dropped off steeply. A lot of my earlier experiences with RPGs were of "sneering nerds" who were older than me (luckily I had a Gen-X cousin who wasn't a sneering nerd, who taught me to play). And I can say that, IRL at least, I've never been that "sneering nerd". It's outside my repertoire. I'm having trouble even thinking of a "sneering nerd" my age or younger, despite being able to think of loads a few years or more older.

And I've seen this apply to Millennials generally - and not just about RPGs - but about all games, and just nerdy subjects in general. There's just way less sneering about people not knowing stuff than with Gen-X. (One example it's easy to see this with is Star Wars - the violence with which opinions about Star Wars are held just drastically increases once you get to like 48-50 or older - 30-somethings or 20-somethings tend to have pretty soft opinions about SW, even if they are big fans, whereas it's easy to find a 50-y/o SW fan who thinks he "owns" SW and is ready to strike down upon anyone who has the "wrong" SW opinions).

The sneeringest nerd I know is a Millennial who hates everything, so I guess there's no accounting for anecdotes. It's almost as if we can't effectively paint entire generations with self aggrandizing brushes.

 

[Shardstone]

The sneeringest nerd I know is a Millennial who hates everything, so I guess there's no accounting for anecdotes. It's almost as if we can't effectively paint entire generations with self aggrandizing brushes.

Not without stats!

 

[payn]

The sneeringest nerd I know is a Millennial who hates everything, so I guess there's no accounting for anecdotes. It's almost as if we can't effectively paint entire generations with self aggrandizing brushes.

I was gonna say hey us gen xers brought ya Revenge of the Nerds to soften up the anti-nerd culture, but yeah we completely forgot about the ladies.