Dungeons & Dragons 'helps people with social anxiety'

Charity Gaming Guild hosts many Dungeons and Dragons events

Role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) "opens the door to help people with social anxiety", an event organiser has said.

Ashley Willson, from Charity Gaming Guild, said he had seen life-long friendships form during games.

The charity is hosting a 12-hour game of D&D in Ipswich in November.

"The D&D community is diverse and welcomes people from all walks of life - it truly is the most inclusive hobby in the world," Mr Willson said.

Number of UK players 'tripled'

The tabletop fantasy game turns 50 this month and has grown in popularity.

"The game is easy to get into, especially with organisations like ours, and opens the door to help people with social anxiety or other mental health issues who may otherwise find socialising difficult," said Mr Willson.

More than 11,000 people attended UK D&D events via event management and ticketing service Eventbrite over the last five years.

According to Eventbrite, the number of players more than tripled between 2018 to 2023.

'Made lots of good friends'

Martin Moore, an enthusiast from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said playing the game allowed him to find a "safe space where anyone can be who they want to be".

"It offers a stable community and, of course, the chance to be goofy," he said.

"I go to events by the Charity Gaming Guild because they’re welcoming to all people and all ages and there’s a lot of safeguarding in place, as children love to join, too.

"I play weekly and have made loads of good friends through D&D.”

D&D was originally designed for groups by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974.

The franchise has since branched out into computer games, merchandise, books and movies.

In 2023, video game Baldur's Gate 3, based on the D&D rules, won PC Gamer's Game of the Year.