'Stranger Things' Introduced 'D&D' to Millions, But Is the Game Fading?
- - 'Stranger Things' Introduced 'D&D' to Millions, But Is the Game Fading?
Ben MundJanuary 17, 2026 at 9:09 PM
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Photo by NBC on Getty Images
Dungeons & Dragons has experienced a surge in popularity over the past decade, driven by live-play shows like Critical Role and mainstream exposure through series such as Stranger Things. This resurgence has expanded the player base and reshaped the tabletop pen-and-paper RPG market.
D&D’s cultural footprint extends beyond tabletop and streaming. The 2000 D&D movie remains a touchstone for fans, frequently referenced in discussions about the game’s mainstream appeal. Popular TV shows like Community featured memorable episodes ('Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' featuring an evil Chevy Chase and 'Advanced Advanced Dungeons & Dragons') that showcased both the game’s narrative potential and its role in pop culture humor. These appearances reinforce D&D’s reach beyond traditional gaming circles, helping cultivate audiences who might never sit at a table themselves.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Backs Out of Film Amid Series Finale Stress
However, in late 2025, leaked internal data from Hasbro revealed nearly two decades of D&D sales. According to Ben Riggs of the Reading D&D Aloud podcast, in 2013 D&D generated roughly $15 million in North America. Role-playing books and supplements accounted for about 26% of sales, board games contributed 15%, and novels and e-novels made up nearly 40%. By 2019, the landscape had shifted significantly. Dungeons & Dragons' Fifth Edition reengaged players, actual play shows expanded participation, and total revenue rose to $71 million, with role-playing books representing nearly 74% of sales, while novels, e-novels, and board games combined for less than 5%. Digital sales via platforms such as Drive-Through RPG accounted for roughly 21% of income, showing the growing influence of online distribution.
But Dungeons & Dragons' top spot may be weakening. Speculation in January 2026 from the host of the 'Dungeons and Discourse' podcast highlighted the impact of Critical Role’s new table-top RPG, Daggerheart. Critical Role, she says, is a powerhouse influencer in the gaming community and the fact that they are slowly using 'Dungeons & Dragons' less and less for their wildly popular actual play episodes cannot be underestimated. The Daggerheart RPG, she says, sold out within weeks, exceeding expectations by more than 2,500%. Unlike traditional RPGs, Daggerheart employs unique dice, cards, and mechanics, redefining the heroic fantasy genre. Based on the leaked and publicly available data, she says, recent D&D editions have seen slowing sales.
Meanwhile, she notes Hasbro is consolidating control through its D&D Beyond platform. Third-party content, including adaptations of Pathfinder and Call of Cthulhu, is increasingly made exclusive to the platform. While this expands D&D Beyond’s ecosystem, it limits independent distribution and centralizes market influence under Hasbro, according to 'Dungeons and Discourse.'
The combination of Daggerheart’s rapid adoption and D&D Beyond’s consolidation may represent a turning point in the RPG landscape. Critical Role’s influence now extends beyond culture into the industry itself. If Daggerheart becomes the primary system for their campaigns, 'Dungeons and Discourse' says, it could encourage an even larger flood of independent games to be unleashed.
Ingenuity and new ideas are vital to any creative endeavor, just as legacy and shared knowledge is vital to any community. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out, but something tells me the dragon won't be easily defeated.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
