D&D General Some Interesting Stats About D&D Players!

The full cover spread for Phandelver and Below, by Antonio José Manzanedo​

GeekWire has reported on the recent D&D press event (which I've covered elsewhere). Along with all the upcoming product information we've all been devouring over the last day or two, there were some interesting tidbits regarding D&D player demographics.

• 60% of D&D players are male, 39% are female, and 1% identify otherwise
• 60% are “hybrid” players, who switch between playing the game physically or online
• 58% play D&D on a weekly basis
• 48% identify as millennials, 19% from Generation X and 33% from Generation Z
• The majority of current D&D players started with 5th Edition

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Even older players who aren't active now can offer something to the new generations, for example their homemade setting, created after years of playing.

I guess younger girls now are more used to speculative fiction thanks videogames and supernatural romance. I wonder about a potential market section, the fanfiction writters who love the fantasy subgenre of feisty princess (or what-is-its-name). Novels style: Throne of Glass A Court of Thorns and Roses. And the girls who love manga+manghua+mangwa about fantasy romance. This fandom would need a different style of campaing, more focused into social interaction and palace intrigues than crawling dungeons and killing monsters.

How can I explain it better? I mean when fandom is not playing in a tabletop with friends and throwing dices for save checks but they are writting fanfiction using D&D mythology, in a certaing way they are also playing D&D with a different style.

Do we use the term "feypunk romance" for the fantasy subgenre of feisty princesses?

 

[FrozenNorth]

Honestly the 0% Boomers makes me wonder about the survey - not that I think there's a ton of boomers (or at least that I still believe millenials are the bulk) but none?

I think the conclusion is that a lot of boomers self-identify as Gen X.

 

[R_J_K75]

Even if you did care about WotC you cant really take it personally.

I don't take it personally one bit, it's just business.

 

[MGibster]

Just less than 1% of players. Probably half a percent or less.

EDIT: maybe this is less surprising to me, as a person who belongs to a group that makes up about half a percent of the world’s population and still has many friends and acquaintances who belong to the same group. Statistics are like that.

It really is. I try to be careful about making sure to remember that my experience in the 80s, 90s, and even today isn't necessarily the experience others had during the same time period. When I was a teenager, girls playing D&D were as rare as hen's teeth, but for other people it was more common. I never had a black person in my D&D group until I was in my 40s. In fact, seeing a black person at the game store in the 80s and early 90s was even more rare than seeing a woman. But others might have a different experience.

 

[Dire Bare]

That adds to 100%. My father does not even count being a Boomer at age 75. I know that Wizards are not looking at him for their product stream, move to online play, or cultural sensitivity. Likely not even looking at us Gen-x people anymore.

Sucks getting old, doesn't it!

 

[Hutchimus Prime]

Not liking the data and so immediately deciding it is flawed is pretty much the province of pseudoscience. Also, what's not to like? Young people joining the hobby is a good thing, isn't it? Would you rather they didn't?

I didn’t say or imply any of that…in fact the number of Gen Zs in my household, outnumber the number of Gen Xers playing D&D. A healthy, thriving D&D with new players is a good thing, I believe.

That being said, this online survey (which is all I know about it at this point) showing that members of the most online generations are the majority of D&D players is at least a little suspect and, I think, should be treated as a PR release not a representative survey of the demographics of the global population of D&D players/DMs.

 

[Hutchimus Prime]

I think the conclusion is that a lot of boomers self-identify as Gen X.

…and they should. We’re the best.

 

[ad_hoc]

I didn’t say or imply any of that…in fact the number of Gen Zs in my household, outnumber the number of Gen Xers playing D&D. A healthy, thriving D&D with new players is a good thing, I believe.

That being said, this online survey (which is all I know about it at this point) showing that members of the most online generations are the majority of D&D players is at least a little suspect and, I think, should be treated as a PR release not a representative survey of the demographics of the global population of D&D players/DMs.

It is also common sense though.

The vast majority of the current player base started with 5e.

If I were to take a guess with no data I would say that players who are learning a new game are going to be younger.

Early 20s sounds right for most likely to be introduced and start playing.

So 20s-30s should be the largest demographic.

It isn't like there are a lot of baby boomers out there that never played D&D until 5e.

 

[Umbran]

For sure, which is part of my point that their market research is going to focus on relevant data.

Yes, that's fair.

For us, the information is a curiosity. For them, it was likely intended to garner answers to specific business questions.

 

[Charlaquin]

I didn’t say or imply any of that…in fact the number of Gen Zs in my household, outnumber the number of Gen Xers playing D&D.

That doesn’t seem right. Over 50 million people play D&D, and this survey says 19% of D&D players identify as Gen X. You have more than 9 and a half million Gen Z people in your household??