Roleplaying is a bigger tent.
As someone who has been a part of the roleplaying community for a significant period, I’ve noticed a shift. It’s not just the usual socially awkward nerds anymore, but individuals with genuine psychological issues who have found solace in fantasy. This observation has led me to question the current state of our community.
It started a few years back when there was a strong push against those established in the hobby in favor of radical design ideas and identity politics. It’s no secret that roleplaying originally started as a predominantly straight white male hobby, perhaps with a 3:1 lean. Still, that ratio had begun to even out over time. It’s just not fast enough for the activists.
Even the most popular game, D&D, has not been spared from this influence. It’s not just the fringe indie gaming stuff they played at the start—the so-called “story games.” D&D, once a symbol of our hobby, has become a running joke for its cultural trend-chasing. This is a disappointing turn of events, considering that the activists represent only a tiny, albeit a vocal, portion of our community.
It’d be one thing if they were interested in establishing a place to be comfortable in their fantasies. They are more interested in pushing people out and claiming the hobby space. It’s no wonder there’s been such acrimony among roleplayers of late.
There’s room for everybody to roleplay, and there always has been. Anyone trying to tell you otherwise has an agenda, a problem, or both.