Analog Game Studies

This study analyzes the shifts and changes in the ritual elements in the playing of Dungeons & Dragons as players moved to virtual tabletops like Roll20. The essay draws on the formal elements of Randall Collins's Interaction Ritual Chains and the ritual categories of Arnold van Gennep's work. The study looks at two Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition game groups playing during the pandemic—one a "traditional" table game and the other played remotely on the Roll20. The study's methodology is based on observations of participants and in-depth interviews with the players of the two game groups, establishing a total of 80 game sessions between both tables.