Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Dungeons and Dragons has come a long way since its debut 50 years ago.
After decades as the pinnacle of nerd culture, the popular board game has entered the mainstream thanks in part to the success of Netflix’s mega-hit show “Stranger Things” and the best-selling video game “Baldur’s Gate 3”.
Indeed, D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast has seen its annual revenue grow from $761 million in 2019 to $1.17 billion by October 2024. The company estimates that 85 million people have played the game since it was introduced 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 heads the game’s design and development, told CNBC Make It. “My mind would have been blown.”
But Wizards of the Coast isn’t the only business to benefit from D&D’s newfound mainstream success. Brooklyn game store The Last Place on Earth earned nearly $110,000 in 2024 by hosting D&D nights.
The popularity of in-person events has helped turn around the fortunes of a business that struggled thanks in part to opening just before the start of the Covid lockdowns. About 50% of the shop’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 Make It
The game’s popularity has been helped by a cottage industry of streaming shows and podcasts where people play D&D campaigns in real time. One of the shows, “Critical Role,” made millions in endorsements and advertising revenue.
It became so popular, in fact, 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 shelling out an average of $119 to watch the comedians play the game on stage.
“What really gives [D&D] legs,” says Auburn University professor Dr. Emily Friedman, “is the intellectual property that is generated outside the ecosystem of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro.”
For the full story of how Dungeons and Dragons became a global phenomenon, check out CNBC’s Make It video.
Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s online course How To Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips for getting started and real-life success stories.
In addition, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.
