Why Fantasy?

[Fenris-77]

In terms of how a person on the street would understand you...it is equivocal.

Historically and etymologically, yes, you are right.

Well sure. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

 

[payn]

Just saw a video about "sword yoga" so yeah folks want swords in everything.

 

[Parmandur]

I am not sure how much we can really get out of discussing how popular fantasy is in the culture at large, when the question in why fantasy dominates TTRPGs -- given that TTRPGs are (however popular D&D has become over the last 10 years) a niche hobby, or even a niche of a niche.

Sure, TTRPGs are niche...but Fantasy is not. That's the point. The more popular genres than Fantasy...are somewhat difficult to do in a TTRPG format. Ergo, the most popular form that fits the medium is the most popular in the medium.

 

[Parmandur]

Well sure. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

That's why I said you are right...?

But if I came in marketing a new TTRPG as being in the Romance genre...even Pendragon would have trouble getting away with that.

 

[Reynard]

Sure, TTRPGs are niche...but Fantasy is not. That's the point. The more popular genres than Fantasy...are somewhat difficult to do in a TTRPG format. Ergo, the most popular form that fits the medium is the most popular in the medium.

Superheroes, horror and sci-fi have way more movies, comic book and video games that traditional medieval fantasy.

 

[Parmandur]

Superheroes, horror and sci-fi have way more movies, comic book and video games that traditional medieval fantasy.

Superheros are just a subgenre of Fantasy (it's why Dr. Strange just fits right in), and Fantasy sells way better than Science Fiction and Horror (outside of Stephen King or Dean Koontz personally), which are also arguably subgenrea. Sci-fi sales versus Fantasy are particularly stark. That is why general Fantasy TTRPGs are more popular, it is simply proportional to their general popularity.

 

[Reynard]

Superheros are just a subgenre of Fantasy (it's why Dr. Strange just fits right in), and Fantasy sells way better than Science Fiction and Horror (outside of Stephen King or Dean Koontz personally), which are also arguably subgenrea. Sci-fi sales versus Fantasy are particularly stark. That is why general Fantasy TTRPGs are more popular, it is simply proportional to their general popularity.

First, you are again muddling the genre to te point of meaningless for the purposes of this discussion. Otherwise there is literally only a single genre in all of TTRPGs.

Second, while that may be true of novels -- i don't know if it is, and I doubt it,but for the sake of argument let's say you are -- novels are the least valuable, ubiquitous and relevant media in our culture (sadly). Even a crappy adaptation of a novel generates far more money and interest than the novel itself.

Your argument that fantasy dominates TTRPGs because it dominates pop media in general does not hold any water.

 

[Breaking Star Games]

I suppose what would be more interesting is distinguishing what makes the Subgenre of Medieval High Fantasy as a setting so popular in TTRPGs but generally not in other mediums (books, movies, novels) rather than putting everything in a broad bucket of Fantasy, Romance or Fiction.

To me, it speaks that it isn't something universal to human appeal and something quite unique to TTRPGs. And looking at the origin and most people's first point of contact as D&D makes me believe that its influence definitely shapes how the community designs their games. Many survive the filter of joining the TTRPG hobby because they love this flavor of fantasy (which concerns me how many bounce out especially as we see RPGs remain relatively niche compared to other "nerdy" interests like boardgames and superheroes). Then many of those who are especially passionate design games and worldbuild settings around this flavor of fantasy.

There is another genre slice to look at - the gameplay that is dominant of Action Adventure. It does tend to be easier to run than investigation aspects of Mystery or Thriller or the need to maintain a strong tone like Horror or Romance. And combat in Action Adventure gets more interesting with melee being allowed - that sword comment is definitely huge. You can see a lot of modern-genre media have people drop their guns constantly to allow cool fist fights, but that would be obnoxious to do in games as the GM has to constantly bend the fiction why you only have one gun and its handle is made of butter.

 

[GrimCo]

I think that you need to account for Tolkein and Dunsany if you want to have any significant explanatory power.

Not necessary. While Tolkien is significant author in fantasy, even without ever reading him, lot of fantasy tropes and archetypes are familiar if you were exposed to classic European fairy tales and old Disney cartoons based on those fairy tales. Even Hobbit, if you strip it down, is basically a fairy tale, fairly similar to some of the Grimm brother ones.

 

[Maxperson]

Fantasy, historically, is a subset of subset of romance, not the other way round.

Both fantasy and romance are their own distinctly different genres. Whether the fantasy is front and center and the romance is secondary, or whether the romance is primary and the fantasy is secondary depends on how the creator wants it to be. Neither can be considered to be a subset of the other, even if romance gets the top billing most of the time. The same goes for any pairing of genres. Romance/comedy, comedy/drama, etc.

I personally don't recall more romance movies with fantasy being secondary like Stardust or Princess Bride than I do movies that were fantasy first and romance second like Lord of the Rings, D&D, Narnia. To my recollection most of the time the fantasy movie just happens to have a few characters that are/become romantically involved, but the fantasy portion is still the primary focus of the movie or book. Where are you getting your numbers from?