MEDIA CONVERGENCE OF ROLE-PLAYING GAMES (1974-2024): FROM PARTICIPATION TO COMMODIFICATION AND BACK AGAIN

This study examines the impact of media convergences on the evolution of role-playing games (RPGs) from the early 1970s to the present day. The analytical focus of this research is directed at the dynamics between player community participation and the process of commodification within this genre. In this context, specific phases in the development of RPGs are highlighted, including tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs), classic computer role-playing games (CRPGs), massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), live-action role-playing (LARP), and actual play (AP). This study highlights the similarities and differences between these forms, their mutual convergence, and their convergence with other analog and digital media (such as books, comics, television, film, and podcasts). Special attention is given to the phenomenon of prosumerism within the RPG subculture; that is, the specific interaction between the content offered by the entertainment industry and the efforts of RPG communities to maintain the participative and creative aspects of the genre. This research is based on a diachronic comparison of specific phases in the development of the RPG genre, as well as a secondary analysis of the dominant media content on current trends in the RPG subculture.