How would you get more people playing RPGs?
RPGaDay prompt #6, from The Autocratik Blog
It’s an interesting proposition to think about, because I think the time is ripe for more people engaging with roleplaying games in general. I think that Netflix’s Stranger Things has done much to make RPGs a more approachable subject. In general, nerd culture has become more visible in the mainstream over the past years, given the number of popular movies and shows that have put traditionally niche nerd franchises in the forefront.
The approach that I take is to add to that visibility in my direct social circles. I try not to hide the fact that I play RPGs, and if anybody’s interested I’ll explain more about them. The topic hasn’t come up much yet, except for one colleague whom I saw like a LinkedIn post about a game festival in Groningen (a perfect opening to talk about gaming at work!). Overall, at my work I can notice a discomfort with gaming, given that we have a research group called “Serious Gaming”. That, to me, immediately suggests the opposite as well: all gaming is frivolous, except for the “serious” games. So, the way I see it, opening up that space at work seems like a good step forward.