From Critical Rolls to Critical Analysis: Imaginary Worldbuilding in Dungeons & Dragons

In an increasingly digitized and mediatized world, individuals still physically gather around a table to play the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. This thesis aims to determine how and in what ways do Dungeons & Dragons players engage in imaginary worldbuilding and how can the increasing popularity of this be explained in an environment characterized by ongoing processes of mediatization and digitization. It offers concrete insights into the process of imaginary worldbuilding, engaged in by ‘average’ individuals through Dungeons & Dragons, rejecting the elitist bias present in studies on the imagination and media studies in general (Benson, 1999; Rugg, 1963), adding to empirical research in the field that is still in its infancy (Lennon, 2015; Reijnders et al., 2021). A total of twelve semi-structured interviews have been conducted with players of Dungeons & Dragons. The interviews were transcribed to prepare them for the iterative coding process and analysis (Babbie, 2016). The themes that arose were used as a basis to generate overarching themes using the guidelines for thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The data shows that the main appeals of Dungeons & Dragons surround the imagination, as it allows individuals to create worlds with seemingly endless possibilities, in which players experience continuous adventures (Hagerty et al., 1992; Morley 2000). The need to engage with these worlds is grounded in escapism (Konzack, 2017; Tuan, 1990), driven by the increasing digitalization and mediatization of society (Appadurai, 2015; Hopper, 2007), combined with the daily grind. Oddly, the worldbuilding processes are inspired by digitization and mediatization. Dungeon masters draw inspiration from the known world and popular media from geek culture to create a blueprint determining the boundaries of the imaginary world (McCain, Gentile, & Campbell, 2015; Reijnders et al., 2021; Zittoun & Glǎveanu, 2018). This leads to harmonized worlds in which dungeon masters immerse the players, involving them in the worldbuilding process drawing upon the collective imagination. The harmonized worlds contain good and evil (Tuan, 1990), which creates a tension that immerses players, who roleplay a character, into the world. While players focus on the practicalities of the embodiment of a character, some embody a character that is based on ‘the self’ by corroborating or opposing it. As the game provides a safe environment to do so, it can even lead to personal growth. Moreover, the social rituals associated with Dungeons & Dragons may lead to social bridging and social bonding (Larsen et al., 2004), with Dungeons & Dragons as common ground (Keeley, 2007). In conclusion, Dungeons & Dragons effectively fills the gaps that remain unfulfilled in daily life in current society, taking on the role of a storyteller and getting together in an offline environment with other players to engage in the collective imagination.