Why RPGs are Failing

[Jhaelen]

You get to the 00s and MMOs are taking over D&D's territory in a lot of ways. I know WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more people who play WoW then who actually play D&D. Almost every D&D player I know is involved in some sort of MMO, but the reverse definitely isn't true.

This is something I disagree with.
Imho, (normal*) MMOs offer a completely different experience from playing an actual tabletop RPG, and therefore don't and likely never will replace D&D. So, it's no wonder most MMO players aren't interested in playing a table-top RPG. The reason many D&D players have played or are still playing (Fantasy) MMOs is the similarity in theme. I played one myself a few years (Dark Age of Camelot), because I enjoyed that the setting and the creatures were based on real-life mythology. I didn't play it because I hoped it could scratch my RPG itch.

So, to me, saying "MMO's are going to take over from table-top RPGs" is like saying "Fantasy novels are going to take over from table-top RPGs". Just because (almost?) every D&D player enjoys reading Fantasy novels doesn't mean, reading them will ever replace playing an RPG for them.

* There's a few extremely niche text-based MUDs where actual roleplaying is taking place because it's obligatory.

 

[Jessica]

This is something I disagree with.
Imho, (normal*) MMOs offer a completely different experience from playing an actual tabletop RPG, and therefore don't and likely never will replace D&D. So, it's no wonder most MMO players aren't interested in playing a table-top RPG. The reason many D&D players have played or are still playing (Fantasy) MMOs is the similarity in theme. I played one myself a few years (Dark Age of Camelot), because I enjoyed that the setting and the creatures were based on real-life mythology. I didn't play it because I hoped it could scratch my RPG itch.

So, to me, saying "MMO's are going to take over from table-top RPGs" is like saying "Fantasy novels are going to take over from table-top RPGs". Just because (almost?) every D&D player enjoys reading Fantasy novels doesn't mean, reading them will ever replace playing an RPG for them.

* There's a few extremely niche text-based MUDs where actual roleplaying is taking place because it's obligatory.

My roommate and her girlfriend RP occasionally on WoW. I got into WoW for 40 man raids because I enjoy grouping up together with friends to kill monsters and steal their treasure and, at the time, WoW let me be an elf hunter who teamed up with warriors, mages, rogues, etc and cooperate in running dungeons and killing bandits or whatever and what not when D&D at the time was about stringing together a bunch of random classes/prestige classes to make characters who can outshine everyone else in the party and consistently steal the spotlight. MMOs can possibly deliver on any of the 8 aesthetics of play.

Some TTRPGs can deliver better on some of those of course, but there are plenty of nerds I know who play MMOs who would have definitely been TTRPG players had WoW not been a thing. My roommate is one of those. Despite fate being determined to make her not-a-D&D-fan(Tiefling Beastmaster Ranger as her first character, most of her DMs being mediocre at best, social anxiety, our preferred LGS for AL being over an hour commute for her, etc), I'm trying to preach the good word of TTRPGs but dang is it hard.

 

[Bedrockgames]

This is something I disagree with.
Imho, (normal*) MMOs offer a completely different experience from playing an actual tabletop RPG, and therefore don't and likely never will replace D&D. So, it's no wonder most MMO players aren't interested in playing a table-top RPG. The reason many D&D players have played or are still playing (Fantasy) MMOs is the similarity in theme. I played one myself a few years (Dark Age of Camelot), because I enjoyed that the setting and the creatures were based on real-life mythology. I didn't play it because I hoped it could scratch my RPG itch.

So, to me, saying "MMO's are going to take over from table-top RPGs" is like saying "Fantasy novels are going to take over from table-top RPGs". Just because (almost?) every D&D player enjoys reading Fantasy novels doesn't mean, reading them will ever replace playing an RPG for them.

* There's a few extremely niche text-based MUDs where actual roleplaying is taking place because it's obligatory.

I do think they are enormously popular because they scratch a similar itch for many people (plus there is the convenience factor). Personally I never got into them. Video Games have been around since the early days of the hobby, including RP video games. I liked stuff like King's quest as a kid, but D&D and other table top RPGs gave me an experience they could never touch (and when I have played WoW it just doesn't get close to the whole 'your there and the possibilities are limitless' feel that RPGs give me (partly because I am limited by what I see on screen, not what I imagine but also because I can try anything I want,whereas I need a button for it in a game).

 

[Bluenose]

Deep down, I think all of us as active roleplayers want some kind of great "revival" of RPG play. We want our hobby to magically shine forth and go truly "mainstream," like fantasy football. Because it would infinitely expand our options for gaming. The whole reason we put up with as much crap at our game tables now, with bad GMs and odious players, is that it's so stinking hard to find a group to do it with at all.

Perhaps if we made more of a fuss about the 'crap' at our games tables it wouldn't put off potential new players.

 

[Toben the Many]

The idea that RPGs are failing is ludicrous to me.

I direct the table top panels are DragonCon, I have seen a lot of metrics that show me that it is now quite the opposite. RPGs are actually flourishing. They are flourishing for a wide number of reasons. For one, MMOs are actually waning in popularity. They are certainly not new, and they require an intense time commitment. Nowadays, people are pulled in numerous directions. Even within the computer game market itself. You want to play that new MMO? Awesome. But that means you're not going to play Fallout 4.

Because people are being pulled in so many directions, RPGs actually have an appeal because they are not as intensive. You can play a table top RPG just once a month, scratch that itch and that's it. That's all the commitment you need.

Also, we've found that young people are flocking to table top RPGs primarily for its retro appeal. The fact that you only need a piece of paper, a pencil, and some dice...and have fun like that for hours and hours and hours...is remarkable to our newest fans.

The barrier of entry into RPGs is now much, much lower. Back in the day, you had to really slowly explain what an RPG was to someone. You had to explain what it was to be a character, to role-play, etc. You had to explain what stats were. Nowadays, you tell the kids, "Well, you know. It's like Skyrim." And they get it. They immediately get it.

Funding for table top RPGs is now totally different. You can actually have a small company that does print runs of about 500 books or so at a time, and have that be a viable output for your business because of Kickstarter. Crowdfunding has changed everything.

Finally, I have to say that table top RPGs have a special magic. Not only are you engaging in an imaginative activity, but you can ostensibly do anything. When a lot of our young fans start to realize this, they realize a liberation that they haven't experienced before and the magic happens. We see it all of the time. Particularly (for some reason) with the latest version of D&D.