Just curious if anyone has noticed a decline in D&D at FLGS'. Before the pandemic, there were several game stores in my area that had a D&D night, now there are zero. I live in an area that has 5 gaming stores within driving distance and not one of them has the April 7-9 D&D Weekend on their event calendars, nor do any of them show up for anything D&D related on the WotC store/event finder. I know it's not a WotC connection issue of some sort because all of them have MtG events regularly.
Is this an issue in other places, or am I just unlucky?
My one used to do one-shots, but I don't think the money was good enough for him to provide a table and DM. They have a good crowd there now - there are currently three campaigns running, one of which is run by me (when I started, there were the one-shots and one campaign).
I only really looked towards the end of the pandemic though (late 2021), so I don't know what it was like prior. Since I've looked, it's shot up though.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
So FLGS in my area have a dedicated magic night, a dedicated 40k night, etc. There's usually a dedicated TTRPG night with sessions officially "sponsored" by the FLGS. There's other TTRPGs and other games that run on the "unofficial" night but those are sorta letting the game rooms get rented out.
On the store "sponsored" nights, GMs for all sorts of games are wanted, but D&D seems to have the most demand still, particularly DMs willing to teach the game.
Also non FLGS venues (indy movies theaters, coffee shops) have D&D nights, but not TTRPG in general nights.
All that said, "back compatibility claims aside" it's sorta an odd hiccup moment in growing audience. There's a lot of attention to the game this week, but there's also the whole, "well the present ruleset is sorta wrapping things up, so you may want to get in on the ground floor when the 'new' rules come out" vibe going on; and there's just a lot of other cool stuff going coming out that's not D&D (Walking Dead is going to be in playtest in about a month, for example, Paranoia Perfect Edition I think will be in stores soon, just to name two off the top of my head, one possibly brining in new TTRPG players, one drawing the attention of the old timer gamer set, but the Computer may cite my for Treason for typing that banish me to the Zombies).
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Just curious if anyone has noticed a decline in D&D at FLGS'. Before the pandemic, there were several game stores in my area that had a D&D night, now there are zero. I live in an area that has 5 gaming stores within driving distance and not one of them has the April 7-9 D&D Weekend on their event calendars, nor do any of them show up for anything D&D related on the WotC store/event finder. I know it's not a WotC connection issue of some sort because all of them have MtG events regularly.
Is this an issue in other places, or am I just unlucky?
My one used to do one-shots, but I don't think the money was good enough for him to provide a table and DM. They have a good crowd there now - there are currently three campaigns running, one of which is run by me (when I started, there were the one-shots and one campaign).
I only really looked towards the end of the pandemic though (late 2021), so I don't know what it was like prior. Since I've looked, it's shot up though.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I don't know for everyone but the FLGS in my area is now only running D&D 1/week.
the most popular store in my city, runs numerous D&D and other games several times a week. they're always packed.
ironically, they are not part of the D&D weekend, but a lesser known chain is. So..i'm lucky to at least have options.
I live a couple of blocks away from a large FLGS and it seems to be hopping on DnD nights.
So FLGS in my area have a dedicated magic night, a dedicated 40k night, etc. There's usually a dedicated TTRPG night with sessions officially "sponsored" by the FLGS. There's other TTRPGs and other games that run on the "unofficial" night but those are sorta letting the game rooms get rented out.
On the store "sponsored" nights, GMs for all sorts of games are wanted, but D&D seems to have the most demand still, particularly DMs willing to teach the game.
Also non FLGS venues (indy movies theaters, coffee shops) have D&D nights, but not TTRPG in general nights.
All that said, "back compatibility claims aside" it's sorta an odd hiccup moment in growing audience. There's a lot of attention to the game this week, but there's also the whole, "well the present ruleset is sorta wrapping things up, so you may want to get in on the ground floor when the 'new' rules come out" vibe going on; and there's just a lot of other cool stuff going coming out that's not D&D (Walking Dead is going to be in playtest in about a month, for example, Paranoia Perfect Edition I think will be in stores soon, just to name two off the top of my head, one possibly brining in new TTRPG players, one drawing the attention of the old timer gamer set, but the Computer may cite my for Treason for typing that banish me to the Zombies).
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.