Sly Flourish Obsidian Vault
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Can RPGs Die?

Why does it matter to GMs?

  • Show GMs how resilient RPGs are and how strong our own hold on the hobby can be. Move your perspective down the ladder.
  • Also important as D&D shifts to D&D 2024. Lots of people started with D&D 2014 – this is their first "Edition change".

Main Thoughts

  • It takes a lot for an RPG to truly die

Levels of "Dying"

  • Your favorite version of D&D is no longer the current one
  • The explosive curve of an RPGs popularity begins to level off
  • The main publisher no longer publishes for it
  • Third party publishers no longer support it
  • You can’t find games of it at conventions
  • You can’t find a group to play it
  • You can’t convince a group to play it
  • You can’t find a copy at all

Stronger Resiliency

  • Downloadable and In Print
  • One on one and solo play (Ironsworn, Thousand Year Old Vampire)
  • Open licenses
  • Not tied to an external IPs that can expire (movies, TV shows)
  • What is the only edition of D&D that I consider truly dead.

Dead gods and Zombies

  • RPGs die when no one believes in them anymore.
  • Some dead RPGs come back to life when discovered by a group willing to play them again.
  • Piracy can actually bring dead RPGs back to life.

Actually Dead RPGs

  • Out of print, no one can find them.
  • RPGs with expired IP licenses that aren't for sale.

https://www.enworld.org/threads/what-does-it-take-for-an-rpg-to-die.712845/