It has been said that the RPG industry is slowly dying.  I’d have to agree.  First and foremost Role Playing Games are entertainment.  What began in the 70’s when TV had four or five channels, and movies were not able to be seen at home, and endless variety of video games and websites didn’t vie for our limited attention and time, has begun to wane in the face of the massive choices in entertainment.

So what can we do to reverse (or at lest stop) the downward spiral of RPG players?  I think the answer is fairly simple.

Anyone that has read my blog for long knows that I am a “Gun Guy”.  I shoot recreationally, and actively support the 2nd Amendment politically.  Unlike RPG’s, the shooting culture has been under active attack at times in the past, yet today firearms rights are moving solidly forward.  (No small task given that both houses and the presidnecy are in the hands of a political party that has espoused stricter gun control on all levels.)  Part of this has been the long-view tactic of introducing new shooters to the sport.  Our granfathers will speak of a time when they rode the bus with a .22 rifle in their laps, or shot cans with their teenage friends in the neighborhood.  Over time the “normlacy” of firearms has been driven from public memory and now it is pretty rare to see anyone but a police officer toting a gun.  Not to turn this into a gun-rant; but the two factions involved (pro vs. anti-gun rights) are both attempting to influence future generations by either resricting or exposing youth to the traditional American gun culture.

I think you see where I am going with this.  All of us that played RPG’s in the 70’s and 80’s are old enough to have children of our own.  Even if you don’t have kids, there are sure to be nephews, cousins, neighbors etc. that might like to explore deep dungeons or travel the stars in search of avdenture.

So if you want to keep your favorite hobby alive and thriving, run some newbs through a game.  Get some kids involved and don’t be an “old school” snob about it.  All those great “moments” you had while playing RPG’s mode the hobby fun and memerable growing up.  Give the next generation those same moments.

My two cents.