Is this the END of a tabletop GOLDEN AGE? (Someone thinks so) | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast

The Goblins and Growlers Podcast

Good Goblin Monday, everyone. This week, we're analyzing an essay that claims we're at the end of "The Golden Age of Tabletop Roleplaying Games." As you might expect, the writer is using the 2023 OGL Crisis as the jumping-off point for their argument, so this should be coming right after our "D&D is Stronger than Ever" episode. The essay has all the hallmarks of a hyperbolic reaction that blows things out of proportion, but some nuggets of truth in there are hard to disagree with. Full topics breakdown below the jump, along with a couple of other brief topics we hit at the top of the episode.

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Blenko Glass Releases Tabletop-Themed Glassware Collection

• https://blenko.com/collections/game-night

Magic The Gathering: AI Promotional Art

• Bell of Lost Souls Story: https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2024/01/wotc-swept-up-in-ai-art-controversy-again-over-mtg-promo-art.html
• The Offending Image: https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1mDk1Z.img?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&m=2&f=jpg
• Wizards of the Coast Reply: https://twitter.com/wizards_magic/status/1744056808254173447

Is this the end of The Golden Age of TTRPGs? The article discusses the perceived end of the golden age of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) that began around the start of the 2010s.

• Link to the Essay: https://www.facebook.com/777800284/posts/10168399913785285/?mibextid=K8Wfd2
• Rise in Popularity: The rise of TTRPGs was fueled by factors like the popularity of Stranger Things and actual plays like Critical Role, bringing in a significant number of new players.
• Fracturing Community: The emergence of new TTRPGs is seen as a potential shattering of the community, with players now being asked to choose sides between different systems, leading to division and balkanization.
• Historical Comparison: The article draws a parallel to the 1990s when TSR, the first publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, faced challenges as the TTRPG audience became fans of specific settings rather than the overall game.
• Diversity in Games: During this golden age, there was a diverse range of TTRPGs, including D&D 5E dominating the D20 fantasy family, other OGL games, and a flourishing indie scene with games redefining what a TTRPG is, like Apocalypse World.
• Challenges for New Games: The article argues that despite the potential quality of new TTRPGs, the business is challenging, and the recent changes, including the end of the OGL, may make it even more difficult for companies to succeed.
• Impact on Content Creators: The author speculates on the impact of the changes on content creators and platforms like MCDM and Critical Role, suggesting potential shifts in focus and potential declines in support for D&D.
• Predictions for the Future: The article concludes with predictions about the future, including the expectation that 6th edition D&D may not perform as well as its predecessor, potential challenges for crowdfunding campaigns, and a decline in the overall excitement and diversity of TTRPGs unless significant changes occur.
• Argues that MCDM will be the “Last Big Crowdfunded TTRPG.

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