D&D 5E 'Magic' down and 'D&D' up. Hasbro notes D&D

[darjr]

Hasbro is up this quarter and they note very strong growth in D&D as part of the recipe to their success.

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/37347/magic-down-d-d-up

I think this only the second time I've heard Hasbro mention strong growth of D&D helping thier bottom line. Both since the release of 5e.

And this time during a quarter a couple years after its initial release!

 

[hawkeyefan]

Ah noooooo! The Corporate Scum will use this to justify continuing to not give us players what we want!!!!

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I wonder if Twitch is helping drive DnD and make it more accessible. Not only shows like Critical Role, but you can turn Twitch on at any time and watch people play DnD, thus making it more socially acceptable.

 

[dave2008]

I wonder if Twitch is helping drive DnD and make it more accessible. Not only shows like Critical Role, but you can turn Twitch on at any time and watch people play DnD, thus making it more socially acceptable.

I think it is less about acceptability and more about showing people how the game is played. I DM for my sons and their friends and the parents of their friends really have no idea what D&D or an TTRPG is. They can't even begin to understand how to play and being able to see the game played is very helpful. Once it is more familiar it is easier to make that leap and actually play.

 

[happyhermit]

I wonder if Twitch is helping drive DnD and make it more accessible. Not only shows like Critical Role, but you can turn Twitch on at any time and watch people play DnD, thus making it more socially acceptable.

Yes, but it's also the fact that they managed to make a very solid game for media like podcasts, streaming, and youtube, etc. Critical Role was playing Pathfinder but switched to 5e for the streaming, they weren't playing 4e. I observed a fair bit of 4e podcasts and such (I still love Critical Hit) and it really wasn't optimal for the media. 5e has a lot going for it in terms of watch-ability, big one is not being reliant on minis, also combats are not excessively long, less of the talk at the table uses jargon and less of it is actually about the rules and mechanics.

 

[wedgeski]

Yes, but it's also the fact that they managed to make a very solid game for media like podcasts, streaming, and youtube, etc. Critical Role was playing Pathfinder but switched to 5e for the streaming, they weren't playing 4e. I observed a fair bit of 4e podcasts and such (I still love Critical Hit) and it really wasn't optimal for the media. 5e has a lot going for it in terms of watch-ability, big one is not being reliant on minis, also combats are not excessively long, less of the talk at the table uses jargon and less of it is actually about the rules and mechanics.

I'm afraid that Critical Role demonstrates none of these advantages. They're playing at very high level, fights last for hours, and they do use mini's! Would it be worse with Pathfinder? Debatable, but certainly more impenetrable for inexperienced viewers.

 

[happyhermit]

I'm afraid that Critical Role demonstrates none of these advantages. They're playing at very high level, fights last for hours, and they do use mini's! Would it be worse with Pathfinder? Debatable, but certainly more impenetrable for inexperienced viewers.

My point re; Critical Role was that they decided to switch to 5e for the show. The rest was regarding Live play in general, but many of the things I mention apply to Critical Role as well. There is less jargon and talking about mechanics in general, the lack of reliance on minis compared to a game like 4e means there is often less focus on details like precise positioning on a grid, if anything it is a dialogue with others versus what sounds like someone narrating a chess move.

Another thing I didn't mention that 5e has going for it IMO for viewing is the lack of system bloat. Even a casual player will know the character options being played with most of the time and a new player can buy the PHB and see the vast majority of what the players are using as opposed to other systems where it would often be split between many books.

 

[darjr]

I have to agree that 5e itself is much better suited to play meant to be viewed.

Though​ Chris Perkins games were far less rules strict.

But i do realize now that after 5e his live games are closer to the rules.