Is D&D cool again?

There are more and more people beginning to play Dungeons and Dragons every single day, but has it regained the coolness it had in the 70s and 80s?

            Dungeons and Dragons (or D&D) is a long running tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) currently produced by Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro which has been enjoyed by thousands across the globe for years, but has it ever been as popular as it is now? For years, it was hailed as part of the Satanic Panic, a phenomenon in which thousands of unsubstantiated cases of satanic ritual abuse were investigated using now-discredited recovered-memory therapy. Investigators would link roleplaying games, particularly D&D to exposing children to Satan, abuse, and dark thoughts. It’s worth noting that rates of youth suicide at the time were lower amongst those who played roleplaying games. This did not impact the amount of people playing. D&D has retained a consistent player base, with players investing in new or updated rulesets (known as new editions) whenever they are released. Many players continue to play the 3.5 edition, fourth edition and the current edition – fifth edition.

            It has become more and more common to see people playing Dungeons and Dragons in television shows and films. Stranger Things, the worldwide Netflix phenomenon, features first edition D&D frequently. The characters can be seen playing it frequently, and common parts of the game (such as miniatures) are seen frequently. The Netflix film Metal Lords features the main characters playing too. Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is a film based within the overarching story, and it plays heavily on mechanics seen within the roleplaying game. The speed of combat shown received particular praise.

            A large proportion of fifth edition players first saw Dungeons and Dragons played in actual play series such as those by Critical Role and Dimension 20. Actual play involves a group of people, typically friends, getting together, playing D&D and recording it for others to watch. These series have amassed incredible amounts of followers online, with one Critical Role campaign even receiving an animated Netflix adaptation. Wizards of the Coast have produced their own long running actual play series, with many being moderately successful. However, the rise in popularity of actual play series has come with a downside. Many of these fans will come into a campaign and expect the game to be run exactly like how it is on one of these shows. These shows frequently feature a professional cast, many of whom are voice actors, who have been playing together for years.

Various organisations that focus on connecting strangers who want to play Dungeons and Dragons have seen an increase in members or inquires about campaigns, not least Brighton Student Union Tabletop Society.

Kath, VP Finance of Brighton Student Union Tabletop Society said:

“I would argue 'yes', with the additional media attention in films, shows and collaborations on YouTube, D&D has gained more ground and become available to a wider audience.

“There's definitely been an increase. We brought it to the forefront of our Fresher's Event so we noticed an influx of potential players and members with an interest in it.

“A combination of how we promoted the society initially and the attention given to the game in media. The fact that the game appears more in current shows/films meant we actually leant into the D&D angle to gain more members.”

However, this effect hasn’t quite spread to other, relatively similar tabletop role playing games (such as Vampire: The Masquerade and Cyberpunk). Kath continues:

“There's not been a noticeable change in our society, the main focus has been D&D in our TTRPGs. We help run other games but none have gotten attention like this.”

This rise seems to only be continuing, with more and more people starting to play every day. But, does this truly make D&D cool again, or is it a still hobby for the nerdy elite?