The Monetization of D&D Play

[FrogReaver]

The micro transaction comments have been in regard to the pay for XP part of the OP. Not the pay for participating in the event part.

This is very important. They cannot charge you for XP.

Stop trying to frame the situation as something that it's not. If you want to compare it to something then compare it to a gaming subscription fee.

 

[MarkB]

I first came into tabletop RPGs via a local RPG club, and a couple of decades later I still go to the same club weekly. We pay a yearly membership fee plus an attendance fee on the night, with GMs getting to skip the attendance fee. Those costs go entirely towards renting the community hall where we play.

So, while I've played in and hosted plenty of home games where money wasn't involved, I've never seen paying to play as something strange or unusual. Paying someone to DM maybe, but paying for a venue and facilities? Perfectly reasonable.

 

[BookBarbarian]

This is very important. They cannot charge you for XP.

Yep It's such a bizarre thing that I'd want to walk up to an employee and confirm that it's actually what they are doing.

Stop trying to frame the situation as something that it's not. If you want to compare it to something then compare it to a gaming subscription fee.

Is this directed at me? I'm not trying to frame anything just help explain what why some people are making those comparisons based on what's in the OP.

 

[smbakeresq]

I have 2 kids and live in South Florida. A matinees movie is $12 for me and $9 for each son, so I am out $30 before the $14 large popcorn and large Diet Coke with unlimited refills.

$5 a person seems reasonable to me, although the DMs I know would just spend the money right away on group things like pizza and minis.

I do get your points though.

 

[Myrdin Potter]

Gaming stores need to keep their doors open and they need DM's to run games. If they use per game fees to do both, then I see absolutely no issue with that. WoTC does not forbid it and the DM/store needs to pay for AL modules now. I don't see what the issue is.

 

[aco175]

Good discussion. It looks like most people think it is ok to pay a few bucks each week to play at a store. D&D seems more closed to revenue over Magic for stores since a weekly blind draw tournament where you buy new cards each week does not fit into D&D. I never payed to play, but also think it is ok for the store to charge something. I usually bring food and drinks to play if this counts as a fee.

 

[Shasarak]

I feel that $5 for a game night is pretty reasonable. I usually spend more then that just on the food and it is nowhere near the gouging that I would get going to a movie that would have worse visual effects.

I would also be tempted to pay a few bucks for a roll or two on the magic item chart, seems reasonable.

 

[Seramus]

I think we're really spoiled. Depending on the number of players, the total hours run, and the taxes, $2-5 for a night of gaming could easily end up being less than minimum wage (downright poverty) for any DM that tried to make a living doing what he loves. It's okay to be like "I can't reasonably afford that", but it's not really okay to be like "I would only value this great experience at $2-5" assuming the DM is at least moderately competent.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think we're really spoiled. Depending on the number of players, the total hours run, and the taxes, $2-5 for a night of gaming could easily end up being less than minimum wage (downright poverty) for any DM that tried to make a living doing what he loves. It's okay to be like "I can't reasonably afford that", but it's not really okay to be like "I would only value this great experience at $2-5" assuming the DM is at least moderately competent.

That's not quite how valuation works.

Let's say there is an organization that gives cars away to anyone for free. After 30-40 years of doing this there ain't no one going to pay more than pocket change for anything but the absolutely best cars.

In other words, ease of finding a much cheaper alternative is a huge driving factor in valuation. That's the case with D&D. DM's have historically been free or possibly at the price of a few drinks and snacks. Regardless of how much you want it to be so, No one not going to put a monetary valuation of even minimum wage on something that has historically been free and fairly easy to find and currently is the same.

The best I could say would be that having a moderately skilled DM over a bad one is priceless.

 

[Horwath]

It's not so bad.

If you play at someones place, that place has it's utility cost.

And DM does not get cash, he gets coupons for buying in THAT store.

And to be honest, most of that "Money" will go to dnd resources in the end.

Only problem is this pay-to-win, but that must be stomped out ASAP.

You can argue is 5$ too much? Maybe it is, maybe not. it's supply-demand, if number of players drop, the prices will drop also. As running cheaper games is better than running no games.