Dungeons and Dragons was all the rage in the eighties; a fact brought back to public consciousness recently.
The game is a core plot driver in the hit television series Stranger Things. It focuses on a group of D&D players who find their town invaded by a succession of characters from D&D. The Mind Flayer, Vecna and a Demogorgon all make an appearance, and it’s led to a renewed interest in the game.
That’s not to say D&D has ever gone away. Many of today’s video games are based heavily on D&D; without its influence, we may not have the huge array of RPGs on the market. D&D has influenced everything from Dragon Age Inquisition to Skyrim, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can find titles such as Dungeons and Diamonds and Double Dragon, which both have significant D&D influences among the online slots at Foxy Bingo; they trade on the popular imagery of the game but bring it to life with graphics and sounds. On iOS and Android, D&D is alive and well, with releases such as Warriors of Waterdeep coming under the D&D branding. The difference these days is you don’t need Will the Wise or a dungeon master to enjoy the games.
That doesn’t mean people don’t still gather for D&D; in fact, Fiction Horizon suggests there are 50m players worldwide, up from the eighties estimates of 40m. That’s some achievement, given that video games are now widely accessible, but it remains popular. So much so, some of the biggest stars on stage, screen, and in sports like nothing better than plotting their character’s course through a clever plot. These stars have not been influenced by Stranger Things, nor online slots or Skyrim, they’ve been dedicated D&D fans since their youth and remain so today.
Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel is the stereotypical tough guy, the star of films such as XXX and The Chronicles of Riddick. He’s perhaps best known for his recurring role as Dominic Torreto in The Fast and the Furious series, but he’s also a keen D&D player.
“I talked about my experience growing up playing ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ religiously,” he once said. “I even talked about a character that I had named Melkor.” His film The Last Witch Hunter was even based on his D&D character!
The Big Show
Joe Manganiello of Spider-Man and Magic Mike is Hollywood’s best-known D&D player, and he has a dungeon at his home specifically created for games. It was enough to lure the seven-foot wrestler Paul Wight, The Big Show, into a game. Wight has spoken in the past of his size hindering his social life, but one look at the dungeon had him hooked.
“The first time I walked into the dungeon down there and saw everything, I was blown away,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve spent my money the wrong way; why didn’t I do this?”‘ The 50-year-old is a two-time WWE Champions and a former Rookie of the Year, but he loves nothing more than a game of D&D.
Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lillard starred in movies such as Scream and Scooby Do and has recently been a hit in the Netflix series Good Girls. He always came across as a goofy character who couldn’t take life seriously, but he certainly takes his D&D seriously. He played in his youth and rediscovered his love for the game years later.
“If you come into D&D as a 48-year-old man or an 8-year-old kid, you’re gonna find an element of the game that’ll be for whoever you are at that part of your life.” He’s even part of a company than has dropped a $500 D&D set for the discerning player, with maps and high-quality pieces. Such is their popularity, they’re sold out and incredibly sought-after.
