If you spend any time on social media related to tabletop roleplaying games, you have to have read posts about professional dungeon master services. You read the same tired posts and replies. They are usually something that reads like, “It’s a hobby, not a job, and monetizing ruins it and kicks your puppy at the same time.” Or the ever famous, “I have always run games for pizza with spit on it, why would anybody pay?”
Indeed, why would anybody pay? I went to players on the Start Playing Games platform to see why they pay to play roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. The reasons not only are solid, they make a serious case for why oftentimes, paid role playing games are better than your more run-of-the-mill games. Here are the top ten reasons why people pay for games, from least to most important.
10. My interests are too niche.
Let’s face it, our hobby is filled with people who love so many fandoms. Some of them are widely represented in gaming spaces, but some simply aren’t around much. Finding a roleplaying game that allows you to explore your interests can be a real struggle at times. You might find yourself asking, “If only there was a massive community of gamers online who were into Victorian romance and intrigue as much as I am!” Well, look no further! Platforms such as Start Playing Games have created large communities of gamers, and several players (and likely more than a few game masters) share your interest. Time to roll up a 19th Century debutante with a penchant for horseback riding!
9. The community is too far away and/or non-existent where I live.
I mean, sure, it might have seemed like a great idea to take up that nature focused job in remote northern Saskatchewan a year ago. When you were making arrangements, maybe the location of a game store or even a town with a decent number of people in it weren’t prime considerations. But now, you feel like life is missing that something that roleplaying games provide. With a decent computer (mail ordered, probably) and a decent internet connection (getting easier to find, even in remote places), you can game wherever you are at. The community exists for you online.
8. My play style is different.
Maybe you live near other players, but they are more into combat whereas you find combat boring. Maybe you’d choose exploration and deep character discovery more. I think we’ve all been there, and the confines of the people that happen to be near you geographically don’t have to apply anymore. You can find that game that matches your preferred play style online. This is guaranteed to make both you and those murderhobos happy.
7. Campaigns end prematurely.
This is something I hear QUITE often. While the number of gamers are vast, it is fair to say that easily half or more have never finished a long form roleplaying campaign. The reasons campaigns end early are numerous. Perhaps key players or the game master had to move away. Maybe somebody changed jobs, or a family has a new addition that demands a lot of time. Sadly, campaigns even end due to tragedy. While all of these are good reasons a campaign might end, a lot of players are left disappointed. A great thing about paid online play is it can help insulate against a lot of these campaign enders. Personal story – I run a Wednesday night weekly Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The group has met weekly since the early days of the pandemic. The games have been fairly consistent, as have the group. And they have finished 6 campaigns thus far (and they are on their seventh together).
6. I want to learn how to run ”X roleplaying game” better.
I know, I know, you are wondering how common this is. I can tell you from personal experience – it isn’t uncommon at all. I have been approached by game masters for several different games who want to either learn a new game from somebody that knows it well, or they want to learn how to run their own games better so they go to a pro. I’ve even played with people who want to learn how to run games for their children better, so they play in a game I am running for their family. Start Playing Games has more expert game masters on their platform than any other on the planet and likely, any other in the galaxy (although I can’t necessarily prove that true). You can find somebody you can learn from while you play.
5. Players don’t take it seriously.
This is the bane of every player's experience. I worked in a game store for almost a decade (both part- and full-time), and the horror stories abound. Players show up late. Players cancel at the last minute. Players don’t even call to say they can’t make it. Players lose interest, or change characters every other session. Players cause drama between themselves or with the game master. Players don’t take the time to learn the rules of the game, or even of their characters. With the prevalence of these problems, it’s a wonder anybody sticks with this hobby at all – or maybe it’s a testament to the hopes and stubbornness of all of us gaming enthusiasts. I can’t put my finger on it, but many of these problems melt away in paid games. I’ve heard lots of people try to explain why this is the case. Maybe it is because it takes a little bit of extra to scroll through plentiful listings for the right game. Maybe it is because those players weed themselves off of the platform. Myself, I think a paid game requires players to put a little skin in the game, and that puts people in the mindset of getting what they paid for. Whatever the reason, unserious players seem very absent on the Start Playing Games platform.
4. The game master is uncommitted or unreliable.
This is too often related to uncommitted players, but this can torpedo a good game quicker than almost anything. The horror stories about game masters were also incredibly common. Perhaps a dungeon master used the rules as a cudgel against the players, or they created unwinnable scenarios like the game is a competitive exercise rather than a cooperative game. So many game masters lose interest in the story they are telling, or the game system – maybe they found something new they like more, or the passion is just gone. Some dungeon masters simply can’t clear their schedule enough to meet regularly, leaving all the players in this vague lurch where they are in a game that never meets, but they will get back to it soon, right? Paid game masters have additional incentive to deliver a game regularly, and even to hone and perfect their craft between sessions.
3. I can’t find “X role playing game.”
Everybody knows the big roleplaying games out there. You have Dungeons & Dragons, and Call of Cthulhu, and Pathfinder in a couple different editions that draw people regularly. But maybe you really want to try something else like Thirsty Sword Lesbians or Blades in the Dark. It’s just that those games just can’t be found in your area unless you are willing to run them yourself, and you really just want to play. Good news, you can find both Thirsty Sword Lesbians and Blades in the Dark on Start Playing Games (and plenty of the common games too). Liking rarer game titles doesn’t have to stop you anymore when you search for paid games on Start Playing.
2. My availability doesn’t match up with other gamers in my area.
Now we are in the very common reasons why people pay to play games on Start Playing Games. Not everybody keeps a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job anymore. The demands of modern life have people working second or third shift, and even on weekends and holidays. Before the advent of online paid gaming, this would kill your ability to enjoy the hobby – but not any more. You can find great games running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What’s even better, you might find players who you can readily commiserate with on how you are really beginning to dislike overnight shifts.
1. I have a night free and just want to hop into a game.
This reason is honestly one of the best reasons to pay for a roleplaying game – and this is coming from somebody who exclusively runs campaign style games on Start Playing. Instead of heading out for a movie or a night at a bar, suddenly one-night-only paid games have become an option for entertainment. We live in a golden age!
So don’t wait! Find your perfect paid game now, and leave behind the world of aggravation you may have existed in for years in RPG spaces. Plus, here’s a handy link to find that Thirsty Sword Lesbians campaign you wanted… https://startplaying.games/search?gameSystems=thirsty-sword-lesbians
About the Author
Jonathan Connor Self-Gonzalez (he/him) is “The Healer DM,” a therapist, gaming personality, and experienced TTRPG creative with over 30 years telling tales in the hobby. You can learn more about Connor on his webpage, http://thehealerdm.carrd.com/ . You can also play with Connor as your gamemaster here, https://startplaying.games/gm/thehealerdm .
