James Wallis

It’s not for everyone – no game is – but 40 years ago it changed my life and introduced me to people who are still friends, and that’s a powerful thing. I don’t wear D&D t-shirts myself, but if I see someone who is then I’ll strike up a conversation – and it’ll usually be a good one.

Ian Downes, Director, Start Licensing
My sense is that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has survived and thrived as it’s a central hub at the heart of a very engaged community. It has brought like-minded people together and the brand has valued the relationship it has with its fans. It’s a relationship that has been nurtured carefully over the years and I think this philosophy has carried over into licensing.

When developing a licensing programme, it’s important to understand what fans like about a property and be sensitive to their requirements. This is even more acute when dealing with a brand like D&D. I think it’s important that designs are selected with care, appropriate products are developed and the whole licensing experience feels authentic. In many ways, it’s easier these days for brand owners to understand what makes a brand tick from a fans’ perspective… I would imagine Hasbro spend a lot of time listening to the fans and trying to deliver a brand experience that meets their needs.

Lee Allentuck, Founder, The Plan A Group
Long Live the AV Club!

Celebrating 50 years of epic quests and legendary stories, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is more than a game – it’s a foundational stone in the vast kingdom of role-playing games. This pioneering adventure didn’t just open a door to new realms; it conjured an entire universe, inspiring a multitude of RPGs that have followed in its footsteps. The “halo effect” of D&D has been profound, casting a radiant glow that has enlightened the entire genre, setting a gold standard for imagination, community, and storytelling.

“The ‘halo effect’ of D&D has been profound.”

At the heart of D&D’s enduring allure is its unparalleled ability to weave complex narratives, fostering an environment where creativity knows no bounds. This game transformed dining tables into battlegrounds and living rooms into enchanted forests, proving that the most powerful magic of all lies within our collective imagination. By encouraging players to step into the boots of bold heroes and craft their own stories, D&D laid the groundwork for a new kind of gaming; one that’s as rich and varied as the characters that populate its worlds.

As for the game levelling up into a lifestyle brand beyond the usual loot – apparel, accessories, you name it – the trick lies in its knack for forging a sense of belonging. Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a cheeky D&D pun or sporting a beholder beanie isn’t just fashion; it’s a flag that signals your allegiance to a tribe of imaginative adventurers. It’s about showing off your character class in the real world, whether you’re a stealthy rogue at heart or a charismatic bard.

As we celebrate half a century of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, we’re not just marking the milestone of a game but honouring the birth of a genre that has captivated the hearts and minds of generations. D&D’s impact is as undeniable as a critical hit, a cultural touchstone that has inspired countless game developers, writers, and creatives. It’s the grand adventure that started it all, a game that not only pioneered the RPG genre but also continues to shape its future.

Long live D&D; a game that rolled a natural 20 and changed the world of gaming forever. Here’s to the next 50 years of adventure, storytelling, and the endless possibilities that lie just a dice roll away.

Heather Delaney, MD & Founder, Gallium Ventures
D&D has continued to thrive and inspire for 50 years due to its unique blend of storytelling, creativity and social interaction. The game taps into fundamental human desires for imagination and camaraderie, offering a platform where players can craft their own narratives and explore fantastical worlds together. The flexibility of the game – allowing for diverse playstyles and settings – ensures that it remains relevant and adaptable to changing tastes, along with the ability to play anywhere at any time.

Beyond being a game, D&D has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, with a strong sense of community. It has become a shared experience, fostering friendships and transcending generational boundaries. The rise of online platforms has also enabled players to create lasting connections with others across the globe, all the while making it accessible to a broader audience.

“The game taps into fundamental human desires for imagination and camaraderie.”

Moreover, D&D’s expansion into various media – such as TV shows, movies and novels – has helped it reach new audiences and prove that it’s accessible to all. This multi-platform approach ensures that the brand remains dynamic and continues to capture the imagination of consumers beyond the tabletop. By embracing diverse forms of entertainment and merchandise, D&D has become a lifestyle brand, weaving itself into the fabric of popular culture and ensuring its relevance for years to come.

Luc Hudson, Creative Director, Triclops Studio
As a reluctantly non-playing fan of the classic game, I get my fix via artworks, fantasy novels and epic video games of which I am an ardent fan, from Skyrim to Fable and Divinity. I think that immersion in a Tolkienesque high fantasy world is always going to be attractive because if it’s well-written and presented, it feels almost plausible. The faux-medieval setting – with added magic and other-worldly creatures and races – is a far enough step away from contemporary reality to be the perfect escape for players. The notion of role-playing as the person, wizard or monster that you would be in real life – were it not for stupid stuff like the law, or your parents, getting in the way – is also an attractive prospect.

Because there is no tech in classic D&D (although many players now campaign with friends online), the gameplay is timeless and accessible – and the basic theme is quite literally the stuff of legends. The current iterations share the fundamentals of the original game, including the chance to share an immersive adventure with friends and reason and dice-roll your way to victory and/or an untimely death.

The popularity of avatar customisation in video games echoes the rise of cosplay in the real-world. Many fans feel a real connection to the characters they play in D&D, but this doesn’t necessarily directly translate to real-world consumer products, perhaps because the sheer diversity of D&D players means that there is no ‘one-size fits all’ sweet spot in merch terms.

Barry McLaughlin, Co-Founder, Barry & Jason Games and Entertainment
D&D is one of, if not the most, immersive of all tabletop games, and I think as people continue looking for alternatives to screens, it’s a perfect experience. You get to be part of crafting a live story, where there’s imagination and discovery, fantasy, skill, and luck. I think it’s much better for our brains, nervous systems, and relationships than virtual reality, but just as engaging!

As for why it does so well outside of the tabletop too, I think that’s because the world of D&D is so open-ended. To me, it represents fantasy in an unlimited sense… It can literally be anything the imagination can cook up, as long as there’s some magic, some heroes, and a monster or two. The world is your Wand of Orcus! Riiight??

The post Talking Brands: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS celebrates its 50th anniversary this year… What’s the secret to its longevity? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Ravensburger is soon launching Disney Lorcana, a TCG set in a fantastical world that sees players band together Disney characters to battle mysterious threats.

Elsewhere, in an aisle not too far, far away, Fantasy Flight Games is bringing another corner of the Disney galaxy into TCGs with Star Wars: Unlimited. The game is described as ‘easy to learn and strategically deep’ and will feature heroes, villains, ships, and settings from across the all Star Wars franchise.

The similar language used to describe the launches highlights their importance as new long-term gaming brands for both Ravensburger and Fantasy Flight Games.

“Disney Lorcana is the result of the powerful alchemy of Disney magic, Ravensburger game excellence, and several years of dedicated work and investment,” said Filip Francke, Ravensburger North America CEO and Global Head of Games. He adds: “This potent combination has poised Disney Lorcana to be a game-changer in the billion-dollar-plus trading card game market.”

The sentiment is echoed by Chris Gerber, Head of Studio at Fantasy Flight Games. He says: “Star Wars: Unlimited is the culmination of FFG’s rich history mixed with the celebrated Star Wars brand. As a studio, we are putting unprecedented resources across every department into this game.”

“Game-changer”. “Unprecedented resources”. Both press releases also stress the years of development that have gone into both games, and the fact that both will boast brand new exclusive artwork. Ravensburger plans to launch four Disney Lorcana sets a year, while FFG will put out three Star Wars: Unlimited sets a year.

Lorcana launches later this year, while Star Wars: Unlimited debuts in 2024. It’ll be exciting to see how they get on and the impact they have on the TCG space. It also begs the question as to which other brands may be ripe for the TCG treatment… We asked James Wallis, Jude Coram and Ben Townsend for their thoughts.

James Wallis, Games Consultant, Author and Designer
Most of the obvious media franchises have already been done in TCG form in the three decades following the launch of Magic the Gathering, including World of Warcraft, My Little Pony, Austin Powers, The Simpsons, SpongeBob and two separate Doctor Who games.

One big toy brand that’s never had a TCG is Barbie. Combined with gameplay based on cooperation, working together to overcome problems and threats instead of player-versus-player combats, it’s on brand and could open up a new market for TCG-style games. Call me, Mattel!

Jude Coram, Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Web Designer, Jude Coram Designs
As a youngster I loved nothing more than going to the shops to buy a pack of trading cards with my pocket money… And then going into school the next day trying to offload my rubbish cards on my unsuspecting school mates! For me, the enjoyment is in collecting; the feeling of owning a full set of cards is unrivalled as a child.

It makes a lot of sense that Disney are getting involved in the trading card space again. They have access to the majority of pop culture characters that kids and adults alike love, which offers them a wealth of content that makes an expansive trading card game possible. I’ve seen plenty of Top Trump decks of famous films, TV shows, and books and wondered how they were able to fill 30 cards – often these include obscure characters just to make up the roster. We need to be looking at brands that have a full back catalogue of content to draw from.

One that springs to mind that would make a superb collectable trading card game would be the Beano and Dandy comics. Between them they have over 400 different characters and strips that appeared in their comics over the years, with amazing variety and style between them.

Another roster of brands I could see doing well with trading cards would be HIT Entertainment’s portfolio, now under Mattel’s ownership. One thing fans love is when their favourite characters crossover. I can imagine kids of today would love to see the likes of Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder and Thomas the Tank in a card game together!

Finally, I know video games make great collectables and I can’t think of a game with more universal appeal than Minecraft. Imagine each card being a different item in the game with in-game rarity denoting the card’s rarity in physical card packs. This would sweep the nation’s playgrounds!

Ben Townsend, Licensing Approvals Co-ordinator, Aardman
At the heart of everything we do at Aardman, there is one key theme: humour. From the everyday lives of Wallace & Gromit, to the mischievous antics of Shaun the Sheep… It’s this humour which I think would cause our brands to thrive in the Trading Card Game space.

The subtle gags or quirky ‘Britishness’ would allow the player to discover a new or missed joke every time they jump into a game, whilst also allowing them to engage with characters they have grown up with or recently discovered. Who doesn’t want to beat Feathers McGraw in a card game?

But alongside our humour, it’s important to that everyone can enjoy our content. From shows like Shaun the Sheep or Morph where there’s no speaking – making it accessible across the globe – the TCG space needs to follow this inclusivity. People who may be new to the genre should be able to jump on a game and feel engaged and comfortable; something that Aardman have been helping people do for nearly 50 years now.

In the last year alone, our brands have been making the jump into the virtual gaming scene. With a brand-new Wallace & Gromit VR adventure for Meta in development, Shaun the Sheep getting involved in AR trails across the globe and much more going on behind the scenes, now seems the perfect time for our characters to join the ever growing TCG space.

This brings us on to the final reason why the Aardman brands might thrive in this area; our audience is bigger than ever. With Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget hatching later this year, a new Wallace & Gromit film in development and the exciting future all our brands have planned, now would make the perfect time to use our brands to build a whole new audience in an exciting and expanding industry.

And outside of Aardman, I think that there might be potential for Rugrats because of the pop culture following it’s gained over the years and the recent revival show.

The post Talking Brands: Disney is embracing trading card games with Lorcana and Star Wars: Unlimited… What other brands might thrive in this area? appeared first on Brands Untapped.