Dungeons & Dragons is introducing a monthly program called Virtual Play Weekends, to give fans more options for playing online. The legendary tabletop RPG has been constantly evolving and expanding over the years, and it's been paying off handsomely. 2019 was the most financially successful year in the history of D&D, no small feat for a 46 year old game.
With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping people in their homes, meeting up in person for a game of D&D is no longer an option for a lot of fans. The social element of the tabletop game has always been a massive part of its success, and that element has persisted even as fans have been forced to go digital, turning to online services like Roll20. D&D remains a good way to bring people together, even if not physically, and Wizards of the Coast clearly realizes and encourages this. Earlier this year, the company hosted D&D Celebration 2020, the largest single virtual game of D&D ever played, in celebration of its new adventure, Rime of the Frostmaiden.
Following the success of this event, Wizards is implementing a new way to bring people together online to take part in the world's greatest role-playing game. A recent post on the Dungeons & Dragons website has announced a new event called Virtual Play Weekends. This event will occur online every month, and bring players together with some of the best Dungeon Masters on the market. The event will focus on Adventurer's League content, and Wizards has promised that participants will see brand new adventures before they get published anywhere else. There will also be an option for Dungeon Masters to bring in their own adventures, once they've been properly vetted by the organizer, Baldman Games. These procedures will hopefully keep out griefers and other players who just want to make the game less fun for everyone. The very first Virtual Play Weekend will take place from November 13-15, and registration will begin on the 2nd. The recommended theme for prospective DMs is "scary."
As the beloved RPG grows in popularity, it's good to see Wizards of the Coast accommodating as many fans as possible despite the constraints of the pandemic. Offering these virtual games is just one of the ways that the company is continuing to improve and iterate on the beloved RPG. For instance, November will also see the release of a new fifth edition sourcebook, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, which will offer fans access to new spells and subclass features, as well as special lineage and origin rules, which will let players alter racial stat modifiers. The new features present in the book will surely offer fans exciting new options to bring to these new Virtual Play Weekends.
It's a good time to be a D&D fan. The fifth edition is more popular than ever, and Wizards is constantly altering and improving it. With these Virtual Play Weekends giving fans a consistent, monthly source of gameplay, it will be very exciting to see what 2021 has in store for Dungeons & Dragons.
Source: Dungeons & Dragons