In the year of 1974, American Game Designer and Author Gary Gygax shocked the world with the release of arguably the most iconic Table-Top Role-Play Game (TTRPG) of all time: Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).
In an article published by Wikipedia, it is found that Gygax and American Game Designer Dave Arneson came up with the idea and published it through Tactical Studies Rules, which then became a published work of Wizards of the Coast, and then a subsidiary of Hasbro in 1997. Since then, the world of roleplay and imagination-based gaming has evolved from this concept, including an exclusive club at Northwest High School (NWHS).
Senior Nick MacMillan has been acting as a Dungeon Master in the D&D Club at NWHS for about three years and has played the game since 2021. MacMillan enjoys socializing with others the most and finds it great for meeting people and having time to be carefree each Tuesday.
“Mr. Snell, he suggested that I at least try the club, and it was from that point that it stuck with me,” said MacMillan.
Oftentimes, it is a family member, friend, or good acquaintance that introduces a person to D&D. A claim from StackExchange backs that claim with examples and testimonies from those who have been brought into the experience through that method. It helps someone connect with them on a new level and build fascination in the art. After all, if a good friend endorses it and they like it, then it should be easy to attach to it.
Back in 1974, the world of gaming was small, simple, and rare. Video games were still incredibly new (the first video game having been released in 1958, according to the American Physical Society), and it was mostly arcades that attracted fans. MacMillan may not have been around 50 years ago, but he can get a good idea of what was thought about the game at its conception and creation.
“It [D&D’s release] expanded on what we already had, which was essentially not a whole lot,” said MacMillan. “So it laid the groundwork for a lot of future games.”
Ever since D&D’s release, the game has evolved with time, and many future games, movies, books, and other pieces of media have taken ideas from it, shaping their image and D&D’s image as well. Video games like Neverwinter, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Elden Ring adopt D&D’s philosophy. Sophomore Adam Burkhart has been participating in the D&D Club since his freshman year at NWHS and participates in every game with verve and invigoration.
“It [D&D] gave people the ability to use their imagination,” said Burkhart. 
The imaginative possibilities, character creation, near-complete agency, and many more aspects of D&D is what has shaped society since its release, attracting players from around the globe. With every passing year, its popularity has surged, with new editions and content being added every year. Wikipedia noted that each year, its following has reached its highest level again and again.
D&D has several methods of play and multiple reasons for playing. MacMillan’s experience in the art is not lost, and his perception of why people play it hits the bullseye in terms of relatability.
“Being able to host something that people can enjoy and be a part of,” said MacMillan. “It is a method to get away from whatever I was doing at the time, and to just be a part of what is going on in D&D.”
Of all the possible uses for D&D, one of the most common is to gather like-minded people together and make friends. D&D has always been a teamwork-based game, relying on cooperation between players and coordination between a player and the Dungeon Master to create something fun for all.
Shared interests are a fast and easy way to bring people together, and with the massive amount of ways to play, features the game has, and the portability of it, it is one of the most common methods of social interaction in adolescents throughout the world. In a recent article from the Case Western Reserve Observer (CWRO), D&D is and has always been a group-centered game, a great way to meet up, and a perfect way to socialize and have fun.
