Rising Tide (D&D Movie --> RPG Boost)

#1

Gooday

I’ve heard a few people in D&D circles use the phrase ‘rising tide floats all ships’ regarding the upcoming D&D movie being good for the entire RPG industry, not just D&D.

But i’m not sure i’m buying that reasoning?

I can see Kobold Press, Savage Worlds and Dungeon World getting some more sales, because they are closer to ‘it’s like D&D’ than most other games. But i’m not sure how a D&D movie is going to help sales for BITD, Masks or Fate Core?

The only big boost i’ve seen that was non-D&D was The Adventure Zone playing MOTW, but then that’s not the whole picture, we don’t know how Call of Cthulhu or World of Darkness sales are doing?

However I may be wrong? any one else have thoughts on this?

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#2

It’s not because of D&D directly, but Chaosium has stated recently that the one-shot on Critical Role sold out the Starter Set from their warehouse and they’ve been working overtime to catch up. So indirectly… sure, Call of Cthulhu has benefited.

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#3

It really depends on what the movie actually is. If it’s like the last one and just a bog-standard fantasy film with DnD printed on the title I doubt it will boost anybody’s system very much. If we get something akin to the Lego Movie or other films in which the story is about the game I can see a much bigger (and hopefully positive) cultural impact. Pop culture is already inundated with DnD a la Stranger Things and all of the podcasts/YouTube series.

I think the most proactive approach is for people in the industry to capitalize on the windfall. I truly don’t believe that the companies making this movie will be particularly motivated to use it as a commerical for DnD, they’re going to try and create a cinematic universe and rake in Avengers money. But as an independent designer this will be a hot time to more aggressively market your game and ttrpgs in general to a wider audience.

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#4

I expect Stranger Things has done more for RPGs than a generic D&D movie will. In contrast, D&D in Stranger Things ended up being the construct the children used to define what was happening and how to battle the enemies. That may draw more of a slow burn interest, but only to D&D.

Now a Monsterhearts movie would rock and raise all boats. Can we crowdfund that? I’ve just sold myself on the idea.

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