Dungeons & Dragons have remained one of the world’s greatest games since 1974, despite a whole digital gaming industry rising up around it. It managed to endure throughout technological developments due to its cult status, influence on other mainstream entertainment, and endless potential for new improvements. It feels like D&D will always be around in some form, and it is one game that could benefit greatly from technology like augmented reality.
Remained Popular as Computer Games Rose up Around it
It is remarkable how D&D has managed to survive all these years while more advanced games have grown up around it. The title designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson was initially developed by TSR between 1974 and 1997 before Wizards of the Coast took over. Upon its release, the fantasy tabletop role-playing game was a cultural phenomenon that sparked a vast number of other, similar titles.
D&D continued to enjoy mainstream success for the next three decades. By 2004 it had attracted more than 20 million players and earned over $1 billion in sales. It would have been reasonable to think that interest in the game would slow down over the years. On the contrary, playing figures have increased and 2017 had the highest number of players in the game’s history. There were around 15 million people enjoying it in North America alone that year.
D&D survived the first two decades of computer gaming as it offered players a communal and social experience that couldn’t be found in many single-player offerings. When online gaming began to take over with MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, the popularity of this led people to seek out role-playing games that inspired it like D&D. In the last decade, there has been a greater interest in nostalgic gaming, with board game cafes enjoying a huge surge in popularity. D&D has been one of the most played games in these settings.
Influenced a Great Amount of Mainstream Entertainment
Another way that D&D has managed to survive so long has been in its spreading out into other areas of mainstream entertainment. Its prevalence in other media has led people who may not have heard of it before to discover it for the first time.
Recently, the game has made appearances in hugely popular forms of entertainment. For example, it was a major component of the first season of Netflix’s award-winning sci-fi hit, Stranger Things. The characters played the game, and it was closely related to the first key storyline. D&D has gained attention in other markets, such as the online casino industry where there are slot games inspired by it. Dungeons & Diamonds from Pearfiction Studios is one such game, and its artwork even features a huge orange dragon.
Dungeons & Dragons had a huge impact on the gaming industry and could be considered a direct influencer of the sprawling role-playing game industry. MMOs and MMORPGs are among the most popular genres online, and they give players the chance to become fantastical characters in fictional worlds. This escapism is a fundamental component of the game that explains why D&D has remained so well-loved.
How Could Dungeons & Dragons Look in the Future?
There is great potential for the future of Dungeons & Dragons because emerging technology could greatly enhance players’ experience in the game. Up to now, players have had to call on their imagination a lot, while they picture the multitude of possible scenarios that occur in the game. This storytelling aspect is what makes D&D endearing to a lot of players, but it could be improved upon.
Augmented reality and D&D feel like a match made in heaven. The technology would allow users to see fantasy elements and creatures superimposed on their surroundings and could help people envisage the scenes and situations more vividly. It would require each player to wear AR glasses, and these devices are expected to enter the mainstream before 2030. Indeed, Apple is currently working on an offering that could revolutionize the industry.
Dungeons & Dragons have long been a cultural sensation, and it should continue to stay in the mainstream for many years to come. It will be helped with new technology like AR, which could make the game more popular than ever before.
