Derek Garcia
Contributing since March, 2021
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391articles
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380Features
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10Lists
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1Reviews
About Derek Garcia
Derek Garcia is a Game Feature Writer for ScreenRant. He writes about both video game and tabletop RPG features. When trying to meet a specific word count in writing a personal biography, Derek sometimes adds pithy quotes, like, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Author Details
Derek lives with his wife, three dogs, and a likely excessive number of video game consoles. When he is not writing, playing video games, watching movies or television, or reading novels or comic books, he occasionally takes some time to sleep. Derek majored in journalism and worked for a print newspaper before discovering the internet. After being immersed in nerd culture for many years, he is now happy to write about the media he enjoys instead of just ranting to his friends.
Industry Focus
Derek is an avid tabletop RPG player and Game Master, a lifelong video game fan, and an enthusiast for films, television, and comics. He takes equal interest in charting the history of entertainment media and emergent trends and evolution, alongside analyzing where the future might take them.
Favorite Media
Derek is a fan of science fiction and fantasy, video game and tabletop RPGs, classic Hong Kong action movies, and graphic novels. He explores genre classics as well as diving into the latest and greatest. Derek balances sampling the newest entertainment media with revisiting the well of a (thankfully) never-ending backlog.
Latest Articles
6 D&D Magic Items & Spells That Are Really Just Helping You Break The Rules
Low level D&D games often focus on mundane challenges like foraging for food and water or tracking carrying capacity. These rules can be eliminated.
All 36 Dungeons & Dragons 5e Deities From The Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms is the D&D setting that has had the most shakeups with its deities. The Sundering event led to Toril’s current pantheon of gods.
New Dungeons & Dragons Game Chose The Wrong Official Setting
Several Dungeons & Dragons based games are in development. One combines survival, action RPG, and life sim gameplay, but it chose the wrong setting.
D&D's Most Iconic Rule Changed The Game's Combat Forever
There are many rules of Dungeons & Dragons that fans might consider iconic, but opportunity attacks are the most definitive element of modern D&D.
5 Bizarre Video Games That Were Adapted From Prestige TV Shows
Prestige TV series strive to elevate their quality to the levels of cinema and literature, but some video games based on them have far less ambition.
Your Most Nostalgic Nintendo 3DS Games Are Now Dead
One year after the 3DS e-store was closed, the most popular 3DS emulator, Citra, has been discontinued as a result of Nintendo’s lawsuit against Yuzu.
Is This The End Of Xbox Exclusives? It Should Be
Xbox has taken a step towards eliminating exclusives but needs to go further to put the last nail in the coffin of this archaic marketing gimmick.
There’s One More 5e Dungeons & Dragons Game You Have To Play Before One D&D
Despite the upcoming release of One D&D, tabletop RPG fans should focus on the current rules. Now is the best time to start an epic level campaign.
Don't Let Baldur's Gate 3 Inspire Your Next D&D Campaign
Baldur’s Gate 3 can inspire DMs to run Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Unfortunately, it also teaches bad habits for players making starting characters.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Highlights One Of D&D 5e’s Biggest Design Flaws
Seeing the 5e Dungeons & Dragons rules used in Baldur’s Gate 3 is enjoyable for tabletop RPG fans, but it makes the system’s flaws harder to ignore.
Van Gogh Museum Pokémon Card Theft Proves The Collab Was A Bad Idea
The Van Gogh Museum faced chaos from guests and employees alike with its Pokémon collaboration, showing fine art and pop culture do not mix well.
5 Official But Broken D&D Rules You Should Ban Before Your Next Campaign
Just because something is in an official Dungeons & Dragons book does not mean it is properly balanced. DMs should still ban problematic elements.
How Baldur’s Gate 3 Can Raise The Level Cap Without Breaking The Game
Larian stated that Baldur’s Gate 3 has a level 12 limit due to the challenges of balancing high level spells. D&D’s rules provide an easy workaround.
One Low-Level Baldur’s Gate 3 Spell Makes The Final Battle Easy
There are three major battles before the credits roll in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the hardest one can be almost entirely avoided with level-one magic.
Even After Baldur's Gate 3, D&D Games Might Be In Trouble
Quality Dungeons & Dragons video games used to be released consistently, but the bleak period before Baldur’s Gate 3 calls the future into question.
A Game Based On One Popular Manga Series May Be Coming In English Soon
Most popular Shonen series have seen English language video game releases. One previously overlooked hit could see a new game localized outside Japan.
D&D In 2024: A Never-Ending Dungeons & Dragons Edition Is A Major Problem
The new year will likely see new core rulebooks for D&D. WOTC’s stated goal of a single, perpetually updated edition is an inherently flawed concept.
5 Video Game New Years Resolutions We Can Get Behind
The approaching New Year is a time for resolutions. For video game fans, resolutions can improve the hobby, saving both time and money in some cases.
Don't Buy From Scalpers, Wait Or Buy A PlayStation Portal Alternative Instead
The PlayStation Portal appears to be selling out as soon as it is stocked, but PS5 owners should pass on the Portal and look to better alternatives.
One Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Tie-In Product Can Really Improve The Graphics
Gaming fans are used to seeing a variety of merchandise tied to popular titles, but one Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 licensed product differs from the rest.