Role's $2.75M Funding Boosts Tabletop RPG Platform

The Rising Popularity of Tabletop Gaming and Role's Innovative Platform

Tabletop gaming is currently experiencing unprecedented growth, even with the limitations placed on in-person gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. While existing remote play tools are effective, they can be complex to implement. Role aims to simplify this process with a user-friendly video platform centered around the social elements of role-playing games, backed by a $2.75 million seed funding round.

A Shift in Perception of Tabletop Gaming

The remarkable expansion of the tabletop gaming hobby has been surprising, considering it was once viewed as a niche interest. However, this perception underestimated its inherent diversity, value, and resilience, particularly during challenging times.

Platforms such as Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds have capitalized on this trend by offering online collaboration tools for games like Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop titles.

Focusing on the Social Core of RPGs

However, Role’s co-founders, Logan Dwight and Ian Hirschfeld, believed these platforms prioritized game mechanics over the crucial social aspect of role-playing games.

Dwight explained, “Players choose to play D&D online because of the people involved. The game thrives on shared social experiences, conversation, and direct interaction.”

A New Era for Social Gaming

The founders see this as the beginning of a significant shift, drawing parallels to the social gaming boom of a decade ago.

They noted, “People always find ways to connect and play. Just as social media and mobile phones facilitated online socialization, we are now seeing a similar trend with the rise of online video and the gaming creator economy.”

Video technology has become so advanced and widespread that it’s becoming the primary means of social interaction, naturally leading to a desire for online gameplay. The answer, they believe, has always been present: role-playing, a game fundamentally based on conversation.

Role's Approach to Simplifying Gameplay

Role is designed to streamline the implementation of complex game mechanics, placing players and their interactions at the center of the experience. When playing tabletop games, the focus is typically on each other, not the game board itself, as the enjoyment comes from shared fun.

While acknowledging the mechanical complexity of these games – involving character sheets, dice, maps, and rulebooks – Dwight emphasized the need for simple and intuitive access to these elements.

Consider a combat encounter. Currently, bonuses may need to be added manually, and results compared. However, if the game system is aware of all relevant stats, the outcome is instantly known upon a dice roll.

Image Credits: Role

Addressing the Challenges of Customization and Accessibility

This automation can be applied to many games, but it becomes more challenging with house rules or entirely new game systems built on open-license rulebooks. Preparing such games for online play can be a technically demanding and time-consuming process.

While some game masters enjoy this level of intricacy, Dwight pointed out that the expanding community includes newcomers without gaming or technical backgrounds.

“Many users are writers or creatives who value collaborative storytelling. Therefore, creating content needs to be easy and powerful,” they said. “We aim to provide a ‘Squarespace for tabletop RPGs’ – a WYSIWYG editor, like a box of LEGOs, allowing users to create templates, tweak sheets, and add animations without coding, and easily share their creations.”

Growing User-Generated Content

The platform has already seen significant growth in user-created campaigns and variants for games like Mörk Borg and Lancer, with thousands of creations being shared.

Securing Seed Funding and Future Plans

Role initially raised funds through Kickstarter and angel investors, but this seed round marks their first venture capital investment.

The $2.75 million round is co-led by Konvoy and London Venture Partners, who Dwight said demonstrated a clear understanding of the opportunity. This is notable given the surprising growth and diversification of the tabletop gaming industry.

The funding will be used to incorporate feedback from early adopters, focusing on ease of use, accessibility, and extensibility. Role plans to monetize through a marketplace for games and scenarios, as well as premium features like increased storage. However, the platform remains free for users who simply want to play with friends.