CONTROVERSIES ABOUT ROLEPLAYING: AN INTRODUCTION

• Benefits of Gaming
• Pitfalls of Playing
• Occult Concerns
• About Violence
• Further Reading

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Why are roleplaying games subject to such close scrutiny?

      Roleplaying games are based on ideas and imagination instead of actions, so they can be difficult to explain in ways that others can easily understand.  They are harder to map out than traditional sports, can be more complicated than movie plots, and they don't have the long history of other niche hobbies, like card collecting. Although tabletop RPGs have a large adult audience, they also appeal to kids and teens whose parents might not have heard of such games before. It can be difficult to answer basic questions about tabletop gaming on your own, since you can't turn on your television and find a televised roleplaying game and many public libraries don't carry books that you can check out. The internet offers so many options and opinions that you can easily become overwhelmed.

      It doesn't help that roleplaying games have received a lot of negative publicity over the last few decades, which has sullied the reputation of the entire hobby. Many of the reports are from old cases and disregard many of important factors, but new accusations come up again from time to time. Most news articles seem to reinforce old misconceptions about RPGs without really touching on how such games are normally played. Many people have unpleasant associations with the hobby because of old, lingering rumors and might be discouraged when the only information readily available is alarming.

      This section is aimed at exploring the benefits, pitfalls, and real life concerns about roleplaying games. I do not claim to be neutral, since I have supported roleplaying games for half my life, but I would like to help others gain a more rational and complete understanding of a continuing tradition of entertainment. Instead of avoiding the charges against RPGs, I would like to explore them and try to give all sides due respect.

	Some Benefits of Roleplaying Games: Fun isn't the only thing roleplaying games are good for
	Some Pitfalls of Roleplaying Games: Some common problems that people have with RPGs
	Concerns about Occult Material: Are roleplaying games encouraging the occult?
	Concerns about Violence: Do roleplaying games drive players to kill?  A look at the moral panic of the 1980s in America
	Further Reading (Links): A listing of web sites on both sides of the controversy

Note: Although this section is written with care, it is not intended to be a college-level discourse on the controversy concerning roleplaying games. It is meant to be a resource, however, and there are many links provided on the Further Reading page. Many links lead to organized and carefully referenced arguments.