Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 20 hours ago
ADDITIONS/ERRATA:
-I say this in the video, but one TL;DW is that the present era of TTRPGs isn't comparable to the 1990s, but is much closer to what happened in the wake of WOTC releasing D&D 4th Edition.
-Lisa Stevens of Paizo retired and is no longer CEO, though she still co-owns the company
-The dominance of D&D 5e has also stifled diversity in another way: TTRPGs that already arguably had a captive audience, like the Dark Souls TTRPG, became 5e variants instead of using new and/or more-fitting mechanics.
-Whether or not the new D&D edition meets Hasbro's aggressive profit goals, the popularity of "D&D" is still growing. "D&D" in quotes because that also means TTRPGs for people. Baldur's Gate 3 is a huge success and is furthering the already-increasing interest in TTRPGs. And if Hasbro doesn't clamp down on third-party publishers, there will be a large D&D market that indies can produce for.
LINKS:
Ben Riggs: "The Golden Age of TTRPGs is Dead":
facebook.com/ben.riggs.writes/posts/10168399913785285
Dave Thaumavore: "A brief history of the legendary dumpster fire called TSR | RPG book recap"
youtube.com/watch?v=g1aBG2O8zW4
Dungeons & Discourse: "Insane Allegations Against Matt Mercer & Matt Colville"
youtube.com/watch?v=ZpmtEpgQhuY
"The Rise and Fall of a Middle-School D&D/Pathfinder Program (The Rules Lawyer)"
youtube.com/watch?v=rkTdo-6UpRc
0:00 Intro
1:44 The article
4:20 What's a golden age?
7:19 The OGL died?
11:51 Fracturing the hobby?
15:01 The TTRPG Boom
20:33 A New Golden Age
22:37 Closing statement
=============================
LIKE & SUBSCRIBE! I'm a lawyer who teaches and runs tabletop RPGs (Pathfinder, D&D, Starfinder) for kids, teens, and adults, and making videos related to TTRPGs and board games.
JOIN MY DISCORD to chat with our community and/or try the Pathfinder Beginner Box or our drop-in PF2e play system! discord.gg/YEXajaxdgq
SUPPORT MY PATREON for early access to many of my videos and access to exclusive content, and to support me! I do unpaid public-interest legal work and rely on the Patreon and private GMing.
patreon.com/theruleslawyer
For PF2E actual plays, SUBSCRIBE to my other channel, "RULES LAWYER DISCORD COMMUNITY CHANNEL":
youtube.com/channel/UCc1K95QD8Mv2Tr6Wne6KS9g
Follow me on TWITTER at: twitter.com/theruleslawyer1
ADDITIONS/ERRATA:
-I say this in the video, but one TL;DW is that the present era of TTRPGs isn't comparable to the 1990s, but is much closer to what happened in the wake of WOTC releasing D&D 4th Edition.
-Lisa Stevens of Paizo retired and is no longer CEO, though she still co-owns the company
-The dominance of D&D 5e has also stifled diversity in another way: TTRPGs that already arguably had a captive audience, like the Dark Souls TTRPG, became 5e variants instead of using new and/or more-fitting mechanics.
-Whether or not the new D&D edition meets Hasbro's aggressive profit goals, the popularity of "D&D" is still growing. "D&D" in quotes because that also means TTRPGs for people. Baldur's Gate 3 is a huge success and is furthering the already-increasing interest in TTRPGs. And if Hasbro doesn't clamp down on third-party publishers, there will be a large D&D market that indies can produce for.
LINKS:
Ben Riggs: "The Golden Age of TTRPGs is Dead":
facebook.com/ben.riggs.writes/posts/10168399913785285
Dave Thaumavore: "A brief history of the legendary dumpster fire called TSR | RPG book recap"
youtube.com/watch?v=g1aBG2O8zW4
Dungeons & Discourse: "Insane Allegations Against Matt Mercer & Matt Colville"
youtube.com/watch?v=ZpmtEpgQhuY
"The Rise and Fall of a Middle-School D&D/Pathfinder Program (The Rules Lawyer)"
youtube.com/watch?v=rkTdo-6UpRc
0:00 Intro
1:44 The article
4:20 What's a golden age?
7:19 The OGL died?
11:51 Fracturing the hobby?
15:01 The TTRPG Boom
20:33 A New Golden Age
22:37 Closing statement
=============================
LIKE & SUBSCRIBE! I'm a lawyer who teaches and runs tabletop RPGs (Pathfinder, D&D, Starfinder) for kids, teens, and adults, and making videos related to TTRPGs and board games.
JOIN MY DISCORD to chat with our community and/or try the Pathfinder Beginner Box or our drop-in PF2e play system! discord.gg/YEXajaxdgq
SUPPORT MY PATREON for early access to many of my videos and access to exclusive content, and to support me! I do unpaid public-interest legal work and rely on the Patreon and private GMing.
patreon.com/theruleslawyer
For PF2E actual plays, SUBSCRIBE to my other channel, "RULES LAWYER DISCORD COMMUNITY CHANNEL":
youtube.com/channel/UCc1K95QD8Mv2Tr6Wne6KS9g
Follow me on TWITTER at: twitter.com/theruleslawyer1
