Dungeons and Dragons has been going strong since the 1970s but within the last 5 years, Critical Role has revolutionized the game's popularity by streaming their sessions online. With millions of D&D fans across the world, what sets Critical Role apart from other streams?
What began as a group of friends playing one of their favorite games gained notoriety when Geek & Sundry's Felicia Day invited the group to air their campaign on her Twitch channel. Fans fell in love, and it only blossomed as the episodes continued. In February 2019, Critical Role had become so popular that they parted ways with Geek & Sundry to start their own Twitch and YouTube channels, which also provide D&D resources in addition to gameplay. It's now such a sensationalized phenomenon, that when they decided to make a Kickstarter for an animated series of their first campaign, The Legend of Vox Machina, it was funded within an hour. Initially wanting to raise $750,000, the Kickstarter now has almost 89,000 backers and has raised over 11 million dollars. Additionally, Critical Role sells a plethora of merchandise that includes t-shirts, miniatures, graphic novels, and their own campaign settings, allowing their fans — or "Critters" — to explore the same worlds they've been watching since 2015.
Besides the passion and consistency of the streams, Critical Role is arguably a critical success due to its talented and hilarious group of voice actors. Currently, the cast consists of Dungeon Master, Matt Mercer (Overwatch), Travis Willingham (One Piece), Laura Bailey (Dragon Ball Z), Liam O'Brien (Naruto), Marisha Ray (Persona 4), Taliesin Jaffe (World of Warcraft), Sam Riegel (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us Part I & II). Not only are they great with improvising and voices, but their vast knowledge of the game and friendship with each other help make the streams so enjoyable.
Why Critical Role Dominates D&D Streams
Critical Role goes above and beyond when it comes to roleplaying, which can make the streams feel more like watching a television show or listening to an exciting book. It helps having such a knowledgeable and imaginative DM like Mercer who keeps the game fun but also knows when to reel in the cast when they go off topic. Rarely does he have to stop to look up a rule — but hey, it happens! D&D is huge, not just in popularity, but keeping up with the rules, beasts, classes, races, etc., is a lot of information for one person to recall offhand. The fluidity in which Mercer and the rest of the cast flow through their D&D sessions is another reason why their streams are successful.
The timing for Critical Role was also serendipitous to its success. The 5th edition rules came out a year before Critical Role started airing, and 5e was designed to take the best parts of prior editions while adding new mechanics that both simplified and streamlined gameplay. D&D had started to regain its traction with the release of 5e, and having a gifted group of roleplayers to showcase their own campaign only helped publicize the tabletop game. Critical Role not only brought in long-time admirers of D&D but also helped those who had never played to gain interest. Once people saw how much fun and entertaining groups like Critical Role could be, they wanted a piece of the action. By the time the 2nd campaign (The Mighty Nein) came around, the group was popular enough to have better production and nicer props, which only propelled their popularity as they were one of the few D&D streams providing such a high level of quality.
Seeing a bunch of likable buddies get together and do something they love makes D&D feel more accessible to the general public as each cast member brings something unique to the table. Previously, D&D held the harsh stigma that only nerds in their mothers' basements played the game. Critical Role, through their laid-back demeanor and goofy antics helped show the world that Dungeons and Dragons players have a variety of personalities, and many started rolling dice of their own after discovering their streams.