Role-Ing While BIPOC: Understanding the Experiences of Table Top Role Playing Game Players of Color

In 2015, controversy surrounded the interactive computer game Mission US: Flight to Freedom. The game was unveiled as an accessible way to teach about American chattel slavery by mixing elements normally associated with roleplaying games (RPGs), Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs), and social studies curriculum. The conversations surrounding the game exemplify the complicated history of RPGS/TTRPGs and the limitations of gamification in educational settings. This qualitative study aimed to analyze aspects of gaming culture through a critical race lens by documenting the experiences of Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) players identifying as Black, Indigenous, and a Person of Color (BIPOC). Using a phenomenological approach, the study aimed to discover answers to the overarching research question, “How do BIPOC table top role-playing game (TTRPG) players describe their experiences and make meaning of their self-created characters as a party engaging in a prolonged RPG campaign?” Responses were coded to generalize themes related to their interactions with various adventure modules, created characters, and interactions in gaming groups. The findings illuminated how participants' identities shaped overall gameplay experiences and their approach to character creation. Notably, respondents emphasized the necessity of moderators in maintaining healthy and safe virtual and in-person settings. There have been attempts to improve racial representation in these games; however, the research revealed that significant improvements are still needed to approach equitable representation. Ultimately, implications for gamification in schools and hobby settings and steps for creating more inclusive spaces were revealed.