Five Lessons About the TTRPG Business From Mike Mearls

On February 27, 2025March 17, 2025 By Travis MillerIn 5E, assumption busters, game business

Mike Mearls, the chief architect of the Fifth Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, has recently spoken to some podcasters and YouTubers about the current state of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and the tabletop role-playing game business. This conversation with Ben of Questing Beast was very revealing. In it, Mike talks about how 5E came …

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The Perplexing Presentism of Old 5E Players

On October 5, 2023November 27, 2024 By Travis MillerIn 5E, musings11 Comments

I participate in some of the discussions about "the world's greatest fantasy role playing game" on the local Facebook D&D group. I occasionally bring up some element of the Old School Renaissance play style. Almost without fail there will be a dismissive comment from another gamer who started playing D&D around the time I did …

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When Did “Old School” Dungeons & Dragons Become “New School” Dungeons & Dragons?

On June 15, 2023January 19, 2024 By Travis MillerIn 5E, design theory, game mastering advice, musings11 Comments

What is the point in time and design ethos when "new" D&D becomes fundamentally different from "old" D&D?

Revisiting an Assumption: Who are OSR Games For?

On June 1, 2023September 17, 2024 By Travis MillerIn 5E, blog dialogue, D.I.O., musings6 Comments

When the OSR was new, nobody thought anyone born after Gary Gygax was kicked out of TSR would be interested in classic games. That might be changing.

Musings About the OGL Drama

On January 12, 2023February 8, 2023 By Travis MillerIn 5E, game business, musings6 Comments

I don't want to write about this. I'm tired of reading about it. I'm tired of thinking of about it. I have nothing to say about the legal issues involved. I do have some things to say to the hobby gamers.

About the Current D&D Conversation.

On December 22, 2022January 2, 2023 By Travis MillerIn 5E, game business, musings6 Comments

There's is a lot of heated talk about the brand and the game of Dungeons & Dragons. I have thoughts. These thoughts are about the response I am seeing more than what WotC is doing.