Why is D&D so popular online during quarantine?

With the amount of talk about Dungeons and Dragons in mainstream media, it probably shouldn’t be much of a surprise that it rose in popularity again over the last year. The game that we know and love celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2019 by bringing in the most sales in D&D history. Everyone from Reddit users to mainstream celebrities was talking about it, and D&D has become a staple pop culture reference in shows and movies. It is easily the most popular and talked about tabletop roleplaying game around, and its online adaptations and livestreams have made it an optimal leisure time choice for those who want to get lost in a world of magical intrigue without ever leaving their homes.

Below, we explore some reasons why people may have turned to D&D during their time in quarantine. 

In order to get started with D&D, the learning curve is not nearly as steep as some might think. Although the game is close to fifty years old now, you don’t really need to know all the lore or hidden details to get started on your D&D journey. All new players need are the basic rules, pencils and papers and dice (you can check out some of our gaming dices here). There are plenty of basic D&D guide books online, and basic rules can be found online for free. You get the choice of coming up with a character yourself or finding free character sheets online. In short, within a few minutes, you can come up with an entirely new identity to take on and become part of the magic. There are plenty of virtual groups that randomly assign you to campaigns that you can join, and all the resources you really need to get started can be found on DnDBeyond. There is even a New Player’s Guide available that is specifically targeted to those who would like to practice a socially distanced adventure, be sure to check it out.

The fun thing about D&D is that you can find a community within it that shares your taste. If you want to play a campaign that is incredibly serious in tone, references everything back to the book and is a great way to get familiar with spells and monsters, then that’s a great choice for players just starting out. It’s helpful to become familiarized with the D&D basics and become comfortable with more strict play. Adventures like these ensure the plot moves forward at an optimal pace. Once you are a seasoned player that is comfortable with a more comedic campaign and has plenty of experience partaking in serious games, then you can take part with perhaps wilder characters or sillier worlds. It is comforting that the game has such a passionate community full of imaginative, diverse players, with tastes ranging from strict war gamers to gamers who exclusively play games that defy all reality and logic. With so much choice, it is certain that you will be able to find something that suits your skill level and, most importantly, your taste. To keep your gaming creative, make sure to check out our gaming dice here, we have a variety to suit every taste and keep your game tailored to you. 

We all want to be able to escape the harsh reality of our lives sometimes, but escapism tactics don’t always tend to be the best for people. People turn to terrible vices to drown out the world around them sometimes, and a worldwide pandemic that causes major lockdowns throughout the world is more than reason enough for people to want to drown out the world around them. There is nothing quite like a roleplaying game to take you out of the world you’re in and allow you to become a whole new person for the duration of a campaign. It channels your creativity, your strategy, and sometimes can frankly bring out the absolutely best versions of ourselves because of how immersed we become in the worlds that we create. There are stories of people who held on tightly to D&D throughout the worst moments of their lives to get them through, and how these fictional storylines have helped them get to where they are today. For many people during this pandemic, playing D&D online has become the only safe space they have, especially when their own home is just short of a prison cell. 

During the past year, most of us have not been able to physically go spend time with friends at the cinema or at an amusement park. However, D&D players have gotten the front seat to some incredible adventures. D&D is only restrained by the bounds of a player’s imagination, and players can travel wherever they would like from the comfort of their own home with friends both near and far. D&D has magic campaigns, both low and high, that allow for those that want to escape into realities with optimal access to magic and reclaim the power that they may not feel in real life -- and they are side by side with others who want to be there, as well. Instead of watching films like Harry Potter featuring Hogwarts play out before them, D&D players can retreat into worlds similar to it and truly experience learning charms and enchantments through their character.

Everyone has felt some type of loneliness during their time in quarantine. Some people are back at home with their family but have no contact with friends, some people are living all by themselves and hardly get to see anyone at all. In both cases, people are experiencing a lack of social contact unlike ever before. We all have. Sometimes, in these situations, it might be nice to find new friends with shared interests to bond over. There is nothing quite like bonding over a little escape from the real world, over creating a story together and going on quests side-by-side. The type of campaigns you come across are nothing short of incredible, and the thought put into the storylines is astounding -- the worthwhile experience all comes from the hearts and minds of the Dungeon Masters and players, and it is with these creative, incredible people that you can build lasting bonds all through a Discord server. How amazing is that?

For more information about how to create an incredible gaming experience, check out the rest of our blogs here. If you would like to check out some D&D dice sets, check them out here.