I see where this guy is coming from, but I do disagree with one element. He seems to be conflating working in the RPG industry with participating in the RPG scene in general. Now more than ever it is obvious that nobody needs the big corporate overlords telling us how to play with a $75 rulebook.That is to say - nobody forced this dude to make a go at this *for a living*.
I can understand the love of the game, the need to create something, the desire to give back to the community at large for this tremendous gift. I can definitely understand the struggle in the face little to no reward & hordes of people who don't seem to care. (My main hobby is playing music, where I can usually be found destroying my wrists, voice & wallet playing obscure & difficult music for 25 people who don't give much of a fuck). I get all that. But the guy could go get a job in construction and write on his lunch break. His two stated goals could just as easily be accomplished by a somewhat "famous" (or at least vociferous on social media) amateur publisher. I mean at this point, Critical Role (not an amateur effort of course - but it is on YouTube where anybody could try their hand) probably has a greater effect on folks' ideas about D&D than anything Hasbro (or one of their long-suffering staff writers) can do.
I see where this guy is coming from, but I do disagree with one element. He seems to be conflating working in the RPG industry with participating in the RPG scene in general. Now more than ever it is obvious that nobody needs the big corporate overlords telling us how to play with a $75 rulebook. That is to say - nobody forced this dude to make a go at this *for a living*.
I can understand the love of the game, the need to create something, the desire to give back to the community at large for this tremendous gift. I can definitely understand the struggle in the face little to no reward & hordes of people who don't seem to care. (My main hobby is playing music, where I can usually be found destroying my wrists, voice & wallet playing obscure & difficult music for 25 people who don't give much of a fuck). I get all that. But the guy could go get a job in construction and write on his lunch break. His two stated goals could just as easily be accomplished by a somewhat "famous" (or at least vociferous on social media) amateur publisher. I mean at this point, Critical Role (not an amateur effort of course - but it is on YouTube where anybody could try their hand) probably has a greater effect on folks' ideas about D&D than anything Hasbro (or one of their long-suffering staff writers) can do.