Answer in Progress: How D&D Accidentally Broke Capitalism

Dungeons & Dragons is a household name and an undoubtedly popular franchise but the financial numbers suggest otherwise. What is going on?

The folks at Answer in Progress tried to answer this and while I don’t completely agree with their assessment I do find this video to be a worthwhile watch for anyone interested in not just D&D but the tabletop RPG industry as a whole.

Personally, I feel that imagination is free and while there is a lot of money to be made selling books, dice, minis, etc. to enhance the experience, it is a niche industry. Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast can make a lot of money on the branding, campaign settings, characters, and perhaps crossovers like the upcoming World of Warcraft and Star Wars content, but the core game requires very little to provide a lifetime of storytelling and adventuring.

A fellow member of The Arcane Library Discord summed this up perfectly. “The industry needs the hobby. The hobby doesn’t need the industry.”

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