Why Fantasy?

Reynard · Tuesday at 7:29 PM

According to the search function, it has been a while since we have had this thread.

So -- why is fantasy clearly the most popular genre in the TTRPG space? Even discounting D&D, most RPGs are some flavor of fantasy, and many of those at least vaguely "medieval fantasy."

Why do you personally think that fantasy is so over represented in RPGs? Is fantasy your favroite genre for RPGs? If not, what genre is your favorite, and do you wish it got more exposure/representation? And as long as we are here, where do you draw your personal line at the edge of the fantasy genre? Is Star Wars fantasy to do (as opposed to sci-fi or space opera or whatever)?

For my own part, both superheroes and post-apocalyptic are my two favorite genres, and both a pretty well represented in the TTRPG space. I like both because they are kind of mash-up genres (and each certainly can include "fantasy" elements) but become distinct genres when their tropes and conventions are considered.

RenleyRenfield · Tuesday at 7:39 PM

I would hazard to guess that Fantasy is very, if not the most 'versatile'. It can do any plot, from romance to combat to intrigue, and so on. But more so it can include any race, setting, and trope. Fantasy ranges from historical to 9 billion years in the future of anything you can dream of and all in between.

Where as 1980s Chicago can mostly only be Chicago, and to change it too much pretty much changes everything, and may even invalidate parts of a game.

Same for "Old Western" or even "Cyberpunk"... they are limiting in order to define what they are. (which is fine, and helpful even)

We ran into some related ideas of this with both Changeling and Mage = where the more you wandered around in the Fae lands of Arcadia or in the Mage Supernal Reams = the more it was just a fantasy game with a side piece of realism.

All styles are great, I am just thinking that Fantasy being the #1 go to game style is likely due to how it can be so widely defined and accommodating.

There is also a tiny bit of help that fantasy gets in that players tend not to question it, since its all made up. Where as realistic 1980s Chicago or such, could cause some players to clash over 'what it really is like'... however much or little that is worth.

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Myself, I don't like fantasy all that much. I never play it or run it unless we are testing a system out. A few settings are ok-ish to me, but overall I play in World of Darkness and Sci-Fi, and Superhuman modern settings most of the time.

My biggest foray into fantasy of late was in Xianxia, which I am utterly charmed with. But other than my own game and like.. one other...it's not really much in the ttrpg market for that...

payn · Tuesday at 7:40 PM

I think the fantasy edge in the genre space has dulled overtime. Though, it left a mark in the literature and film space right at TTRPG infancy. Lord of the Rings was like the MCU today as it was then.

So, I think fantasy just shaped the hobby so much and is seen as such a classic iconic genre that’s it’s hard to displace at the top.

I prefer a more mundane experience. I lean towards lower fantasy or D&D levels 1-10. Sci-fi I prefer hard, spy genre cynical political intrigue as opposed to crazy action.

I tend to lean further into life as it is, cynicism and all. I think most folks want an escape either through an epic fairy tale or pure power fantasy. D&D tends to lean into that.

Umbran · Tuesday at 7:42 PM

A quote attributed to Rod Serling is relevant:

"Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science Fiction is the improbable made possible."

Sci-fi thus has a burden that fantasy does not: starting out at least vaguely in line with how we know the universe works. Fantasy is unfettered, and thus more accessible.

The Soloist · Tuesday at 7:53 PM

It is very easy to imagine a medieval-time-that-never-existed-with-magic. Horror is too confronting. With modern the escapism is very low. The future is uncertain and is constantly changing. It's hard to imagine it, unless it's a franchise like Star Wars.

My favourite genre is pulp sci-fantasy à la Dying Earth style.

Koloth · Tuesday at 8:08 PM

One possibility is simple market share. If you are a publisher wanting to put out a product, much wider known customer base for Medieval Fantasy vs say Modern Vampire Hunting(apologies to Buffy fans.) More stuff published for Fantasy means a 1st time player is more likely to find Fantasy before Modern Vampire Hunting.

Reynard · Tuesday at 8:10 PM

Koloth said:
One possibility is simple market share. If you are a publisher wanting to put out a product, much wider known customer base for Medieval Fantasy vs say Modern Vampire Hunting(apologies to Buffy fans.) More stuff published for Fantasy means a 1st time player is more likely to find Fantasy before Modern Vampire Hunting.

Isn't that kind of circular, tho? And wouldn't new games just disappear under the shadow of D&D?

TwoSix · Tuesday at 8:15 PM

Reynard said:
Isn't that kind of circular, tho? And wouldn't new games just disappear under the shadow of D&D?

I think the cross-section of people who like fantasy as their main "genre" but don't like/don't care/are tired of D&D is pretty broad.

aco175 · Tuesday at 8:26 PM

Some might be that we grew up with stories such as King Arthur or even the 3 Musketeers that are full of adventure and elements such as good vs evil that get a person's heart stirring. When kids played make believe, they acted out as these knights or Robin Hood fighting the bad guys. People look back fondly and want for a 'better time', even though reality of the time was far from it.

It is also from far enough back in time that few know the reality of it. I asked the kids I was teaching one day when the old-timey-days was and they thought it was the 80s. I guess when I was a kid I thought it was the 50s, so fantasy time is back enough before one's grandfather's grandfather memory. This makes it more folk tale and not a setting from the 1920s where people tend to poke holes in it more than they do about the fantasy.