Media Convergence of Role-playing Games (1974-2024): From Participation to Commodification and Back Again

Abstract

This study examines the impact of media convergences on the evolution of role-playinggames (RPGs) from the early 1970s to the present day. The analytical focus of this researchis directed at the dynamics between player community participation and the process ofcommodification within this genre. In this context, specific phases in the developmentof RPGs are highlighted, including tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs), classiccomputer role-playing games (CRPGs), massively multiplayer online role-playing games(MMORPGs), live-action role-playing (LARP), and actual play (AP). This study highlightsthe similarities and differences between these forms, their mutual convergence, and theirconvergence with other analog and digital media (such as books, comics, television,film, and podcasts). Special attention is given to the phenomenon of prosumerism withinthe RPG subculture; that is, the specific interaction between the content offered by theentertainment industry and the efforts of RPG communities to maintain the participativeand creative aspects of the genre. This research is based on a diachronic comparison ofspecific phases in the development of the RPG genre, as well as a secondary analysis of thedominant media content on current trends in the RPG subculture.