How Therapists Are Using Tabletop Games to Help People
“Our mortality is actually what gives things meaning and motivates us to do anything at all,” Levitt said. “For a long time I was more of a destination person than…
Desis & Dragons Puts South Asians Front and Center in TTRPGs
When people of color, specifically South Asians, pointed out the orientalism in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), and in actual play sessions like Critical Role, the backlash was palpable. Some fans…
How a Group of Murderers in ‘Skyrim’ Became Its Most Beloved Faction
Almost eleven years since its release, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is still one of the most iconic videogames to date. Skyrim grants its players almost complete freedom, yet like…
This Is What an RPG for Indie Movie Heroines Would Look Like
Fall in Love??? (What’s Love ANYWAY?): This level has two bosses. The first, Red Flag Man, will tell you after you sleep with him that his last girlfriend begged him…
Tabletop Game Companies Are Rushing to Snatch Up Hollywood Names
WIRED sat down with Nepitello and Härenstam to discuss the challenges, surprises, and behind-the-scenes hustles to acquire intellectual property during this whirlwind of development. From Magpie Games’s Avatar game to…
Tabletop RPG Rule Books Can Be Beautiful and Accessible
One-page dungeons or business card RPGs can be short releases that are just the right length to see if your layout is too weird. Same for entries into game jams—timed…
Live Dungeons & Dragons Shows Are Inviting More Players to the Table
Whether in a classroom, a friend-filled apartment, or a neighborhood game shop, tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) bring gamers together to create adventure-filled worlds and characters to explore them. Ruled by…
Tabletop RPG Workers Say Their Jobs Are No Fantasy
It’s also a challenging industry in which to consistently make money. High-quality, hardcover TTRPG adventure books rely on teams of professionals including writers, editors, illustrators, designers, play testers and, of…
Why ‘Diablo II: Resurrected’ Kept Its Rough Edges
Diablo II is the sort of game that made the cliché “instant classic” mean something again. When it launched in 2000, the game’s skullface aesthetic, elaborate gameplay systems, and infinite…
The Case for Orc Wizards—and Why You Should Play RPGs ‘Wrong’
Can someone not remember their spells? Then suggest they write them down. What about forgetting their character’s backstory? Perhaps they could rehearse it before the session. Are they not contributing…