The Outer Limits
Journeys to the farthest reaches of interactive entertainment
ALEX SPENCER
Question: is 35 years old too late to start playing Dungeons & Dragons in its traditional tabletop form? Very probably, but more and more it feels like a blindspot that needs addressing. For years I’ve nodded along quietly as videogame developers explain how in their work they’re just trying to capture the sensation of their regular D&D session, but in 2023 the game became an unavoidable part of mainstream pop culture. The film parlayed its setting into a surprisingly enjoyable romp. Baldur’s Gate 3 demonstrated the pleasures of its ruleset to those of us with no tolerance for watching or listening to other people play an RPG. D&D has even made its way into party small talk – the other kind of party.