Dungeons and Dragons has come a long way since its debut 50 years ago.
After decades as the pinnacle of nerd culture, the popular tabletop game has broken into the mainstream thanks in part to the success of the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things” and the hit video game “Baldur’s Gate 3”.
Indeed, D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast saw its annual revenue drop from $761 million in 2019 to $1.17 billion in October 2024. The company estimates that 85 million people have played the game since its introduction in 1974, a figure equivalent to the population of Germany.
“If you had told me that number when I was younger, I would have laughed,” Jess Lanzillo, who leads design and development for the game, told CNBC Make It. “I would have been blown away.”
But Wizards of the Coast isn’t the only company benefiting from D&D’s new mainstream success. Brooklyn game store The Last Place on Earth raised nearly $110,000 in 2024 by hosting D&D parties.
The popularity of in-person events has helped turn around the fortunes of a business that struggled in part thanks to opening just before Covid shutdowns began. About 50% of the store’s revenue comes from D&D.
“Dungeons and Dragons really saved the business,” says owner Whitney Wolfe.
Whitney Wolfe (center) owns Last Place on Earth, a Brooklyn board game cafe that hosts popular Dungeons & Dragons nights.
CNBC succeeds
The game’s popularity has been aided by a cottage industry of streaming shows and podcasts where people play D&D campaigns in real time. One of the shows, “Critical Role,” brought in millions in tips and advertising revenue.
In fact, it became so popular that it managed to raise over $11 million on Kickstarter to fund an animated TV pilot. This show, “The Legend of Vox Machina,” will soon be in its fourth season on Amazon Prime.
Another show, “Dimension 20,” sold out the iconic Madison Square Garden, with fans paying an average of $119 to see comedians perform the game on stage.
“What really gives [D&D] “Legs,” says Dr. Emily Friedman, a professor at Auburn University, “are intellectual property generated outside of the Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro ecosystem.”
For the full story of how Dungeons and Dragons became a global phenomenon, watch the CNBC Make It video.
Want to earn extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s online course How to earn passive income online to learn more about common passive income streams, tips for getting started, and real-life success stories.
More, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter for tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.
