Getting started in a game of Dungeons and Dragons can be intimidating for any gamer, as the McElroy Family discovered in their podcast The Adventure Zone. A vast world and dense guidebooks can leave even the most confident adventurer standing at a loss at the local tabletop store. By picking up a sword, a wand, and a Cleric's book, the McElroy brothers and their father Clint opened the door to Dungeons and Dragons for a wide audience, many of whom might not have attempted the feat themselves if not for the endearing podcast.
Something that makes The Adventure Zone unique compared to podcasts like Critical Role, is that the McElroy brothers had no experience as a collective in Dungeons and Dragons when they began filming. For many people, playing for the first time can be intimidating and overwhelming. Picking between playing online or around a table, setting up the campaign and deciding who will be the first Dungeon Master can create a sense of needed perfection in players with little to no role-playing experience. The McElroy brothers confront these struggles with humor and embrace mistakes. Their characters start of as satirical representations of the base playable builds for the starter campaign and relieve a lot of the pressures that first time players often encounter.
By creating a space where mistakes were okay and learning the rules was done at a digestible pace, the listeners follow as The Adventure Zone quickly goes from brothers being silly with dice, to a complex and emotionally-riveting campaign that leaves anyone with a love of good storytelling breathless. To add to this, most of the McElroy fanbase prior to The Adventure Zone's release wasn't a typical audience for Dungeons and Dragons. The podcast introduced a whole new demographic of listeners to tabletop, boosting the growing resurgence of popularity that Dungeons and Dragons has enjoyed in recent years.
D&D's Audience Continues To Grow
By creating a relatable space and producing and example of how to get started as a novice player, The Adventure Zone has accidentally introduced the magic of Dungeons and Dragons to many who would never have been exposed or encouraged to play before. This opens up the entire world of RPG style games both online and at a table to a whole new generation of players. The increase of players enriches the game and expands the story-telling for new and old players alike, diversifying content and encouraging the addition of new adventures for everyone to enjoy.
By sharing their exploration of Dungeons and Dragons with players through their podcast, the McElroy brothers have given a great gift to the gaming world. The message that it is okay not to be perfect on the first try, and that by taking a risk anyone can create a beautiful world and life-changing story with family and friends. The Adventure Zone has brought a new wealth of players and, with it, a podcast that is an excellent gateway into a magical world and a marvelous adventure.