I’ve been enjoying TTRPGs for some time. A means to meet people. Have some fun. Escape the drudgery of life and get creative. Perhaps I’ve lived under a rock, or a boulder, but I’ve come across an entire ecosystem of Professional DMs selling table time. Literal pay to play in a creative world. Where, even with the cash grab of wizards of the coast or the negation of imagination in place of 3D extravagence, we now monetize play, too. Perhaps play isn’t the right word. Something that combines camaraderie, enjoyment, a third space, imagination, and kindred spirits. Whatever that is, its monetization of the experience by a for profit dungeon master feels wrong in some way I can’t quite place.
Why must everything devolve into this? What do we loose when we monetize creativity, community, meeting people to such a degree?
We live in a capitalistic hellscape where some of the best DMs are trapped in dead-end retail jobs. Why must you judge them for trying to make a living doing something they are passionate about? Yes, some will be grifters, but that is always true of any profession. With that being said, I think you’re going to run into less grifters in the arts than you are in other spaces, and likely the folks trying to make an honest buck doing a thing they enjoy are not there to grift you.
Not judging. I never said DMs who run paid sessions were being judged. I’m just wondering why they would seek payment and got some very good insight and answers. Frankly, it’s a diverse set of reasons and great insight helping me navigate my own play and motivations to DM.
I don’t know man, prepping to run a session can be a lot of time and effort. Between the rapidly rising cost of living and the very troubled job market, if someone can help pay their bills by DMing a few sessions I don’t see a problem with it. People need to eat.
I think there’s a lot of demand out there right now for more human entertainment. A TTRPG is a lot more personal than playing a video game, and people want that, but not everyone has a friend group that includes a DM.
I think a lot of what is currently happening is a consequence of the COVID years. People were isolated for long periods, and a lot of small businesses that provided social meeting spaces collapsed. Post-COVID, people want to go back to socializing but so many local restaurants and other such places shut down, and it seems like habits changed too. People don’t go out as much as they used to, and there are fewer places to do it, so it’s a lot harder to meet new friends as an adult.
At the same time, a lot of people lost their jobs and didn’t get them back. They had to find other ways to support themselves and their families, and the rising popularity of D&D in particular (I think largely due to content on YouTube from Critical Role &etc) has created an opportunity for that.
The TTRPG space is changing for sure, and it’s growing. I can tell by looking at the shelves in my local game stores, there’s more and more books for non-D&D RPG games. Plus, there are groups like Legends of Avantris who are now producing their second D&D module, for which they’ve hired a bunch of artists, musicians and other creative people to help with.
I don’t have a problem with the idea that the growing popularity of roleplaying games is producing more opportunities for writers & artists &etc to make a living.
I appreciate this insight. The COVID shift broight a professionalization of new entertainment styles. With, as other users mentioned, a means to earn extra or earn through creativity.
Paying people for their time and effort is not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve been both player and GM for a number of groups. I’ve done complete homebrews and used campaigns from both official and 3rd party sources, some free and some paid. It takes a lot of effort and skill to put together and run sessions. I’m totally behind smaller community game shops or even individuals doing this. Even players tossing a buck or two to their GMs to help support the cost of things. The great thing about ttrpgs are that you can pay for as much or little as you want.
I’ve encountered the same, I paid for a few sessions since one of my buddies was trying to get up and started with a local group that charges to play at some bars around our town but after a few months stopped going because the guy in charge of the whole thing seemed sketchy and seemed to be more about trying to develop a cult of personality.
I’m definitely more on the side of not wanting to charge for my dming, but i can get why some would considering the effort that some can put into it.
One of my friends actually does this as a side-gig. She’s a very experienced DM for many different game systems, and I’d say consistently offers a great experience. She mostly gets hired to do events though, like running tables for MagicCon or the local queer tabletop society. I’ve never personally heard of someone like posting up at a lgs and offering to DM for strangers in exchange for money, but sounds fine to me. DMing is a lot of hard work, there’s absolutely no incentive to be good at it for strangers, and demand for super casual but professionally led tabletop experiences seems to be at an all time high. You’re still allowed to do things the traditional way and have a friend DM for your group, this is just an option for the tourists who want to spend an afternoon together having a TTRPG experience.
Fair and appreciate the response. Kudos to your friend too!
Most DM’s are bad. I am a bad DM. It is not a task fit for everyone. When you’ve had a really good DM, it’s hard to go back. As I think about a few of the worst DM’s i’ve ever had, I’d pay money to have anyone else DM it instead.
Glad the option exists.
I agree with your sentiment. The DM is another player at the table and by monetize the role feels wrong. DMing is more work than being a player so I can see the impulse. I do feel that this gives a certain expectations that the DM cater more to the players.
That being said I have payed to play DnD before but it’s more like a fee to use the space. When I played at a game store they charged $5 to play at their table for their weekly game. Same for registration fees to play for public games especially for a DnD play organization. Those that regularly connect players with DMs at 3rd party locations.
I think there are plenty of fair comments and perspectives in this thread. I appreciate the responses.
What I’m working through now is how the contractual element in a pay-per-session arrangement changes the character of the gameplay journey, so to speak. Do you get the same depth of connection to others? Memories? Or does the psychology change because of the economics?
But that’s just something to stew on for a bit.
