Roleplaying Games and Wellbeing

Dear Colleagues,

Roleplaying games (or RPGs) involve groups of individuals coming together (either online or in person) in a form of modern-day storytelling; the most popular of these is Dungeons and Dragons. The shared narrative is guided by the Game Master  or “Dungeon Master” (DM), players potray characters, and the outcomes of their decisions and actions are typically determined by dice rolls. This engenders a rich and immersive storytelling enviroment which cultivates creativity, shared experiences, and friendships through a form of life-long play; the popularity of which increased dramatically during the pandemic and beyond. However, there has been limited research published exploring the wellbeing benefits of playing roleplaying games, and this Special Issue aims to address this. This Special Issue focuses on the explorations of the potential benefits of playing roleplaying games, encompassing various displines and research methods. We welcome original research papers and review articles in the following areas (among others): 

• Roleplaying games and wellbeing benefits;
• Playing roleplaying games and identity;
• Roleplaying games and mental health;
• Use of RPGs to support specific groups in society;
• RPGs and childhood development;
• The use of roleplaying games for postive pedagogical experiences.

Dr. Ian S. Baker
Prof. Dr. Ian Turner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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