Growth & Meaning Day: Rethinking Traditions
Today is GM’s Day, a day that’s supposedly about recognizing the people who facilitate roleplaying. But let’s be honest. It’s mostly an excuse for sales. I put off releasing a book today because I didn’t want it buried under the noise. No shade intended, just spitting facts.
It’s also a day tied, whether people acknowledge it or not, to the death of a man whose views on race and gender were indefensible, and well-documented in his own words. The problems with this hobby don’t start or end with him, but his influence lingers, and it’s worth questioning why so many people rush to downplay that. Progress was made (we’ll see what this current period of history brings), but the roots of this hobby still shape what gets published, who gets platformed, and what’s seen as legitimate. People do things because that’s the way they’ve always been done, and assume that it’s because it’s the best way.
The flagship game dominates the space, and its pricing is a symptom of something bigger. Fifty dollars for a player book, fifty dollars for a gamemaster book, fifty dollars for a monster book. That’s one hundred and fifty dollars before you even touch supplements, miniatures, dice, or other ephemera. But the real issue isn’t just cost. It’s the expectation that this is the default model, that alternatives are lesser, and that this is what roleplaying is supposed to look like. Independent creators are building games that are just as deep, just as expansive, and accessible. I’m releasing Order of the Magpie as one book, not three, covering everything you need, built on diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s fully customizable. Ten dollars digital, twenty dollars print. I wanted it to be cheaper, but in addition to the reality of publishing costs, there’s a real perception issue. Set a price too low, and people assume something’s wrong with it.
And let’s talk about gamemasters. I use the word because people recognize it, but I’ve got serious, well-documented issues with it. It’s hierarchical, outdated, and reinforces the idea that one person’s in control while everyone else follows. Roleplaying doesn’t have to work that way. The idea that someone needs to “master” the game is one of the many old structures that could’ve been left behind but weren’t.
So here’s what I’m personally calling Growth & Meaning Day is about for me. It’s not only about acknowledging how far this hobby’s come but deciding where it goes next. Who we support. What systems we reinforce. Whether we keep accepting the defaults or actively continue looking for something better. Support small creators. Challenge old models. Make roleplaying better than its past.
I hope you’re doing well today.
Berin
Order of the Magpie: Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying will be released later this week.
