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Looking for role-playing game research options? Check out RPG Research the non-profit organization

by Hawke Robinson — published May 30, 2022 10:38 AM, last modified May 30, 2022 10:38 AM
The kind folks at the non-profit RPG Research provide the largest in the world Role-Playing Game Research archives that are free and open to the public. The non-profit RPG Research, is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable research and human services organization studying the effects of all role-playing game formats for their potential to help improve lives around the world for for a wide range of populations, including tabletop (TRPG / TTRPG), live-action (LRPG and Larp), electronic (ERPG, CRPG, VR, AR, xR, mobile, etc.), and hybrid role-playing games.

One of the single best resources for role-playing game researchers is the RPG Research role-playing game research archives repository and museum. The RPG Research folks generously provide the world's largest free and open repository on the effects of all role-playing games and their formats.

You can find these research archives freely, without paywalls, via the RPG Research website www.rpgresearch.com though they are very grateful for any donations you can kindly provide.

You can check out their various donation options to help them raise what they need, including money to cover operating expenses, bills, utilities, rent, insurance, etc. .

Also you can donate specific items through their Amazon charities wishlist, to recurring monthly subscriptions through their Paypal or Patreon options.

They are distinctive (if not completely unique) because they are 100% volunteer-run. No one is paid at RPG Research, this includes the founders, directors, staff, etc. And they do amazing work using the benefits of role-playing games to help people get healthier, improve mental health, communication, etc.

They have documented directly helping tens of thousands of people through role-playing gaming over the decades. Including all ages from children, through adolescents, to adults, through senior adults. They work with many special needs populations including Autism Spectrum (ASD / PDD), Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH), Blind and Visually Impaired (VI)

Their role-playing game research archives include 10,000+ content items about the effects of role-playing games. Their research resources cover a wide range of options across a transmedia selection of essays, books, papers, studies, audio, video, panels, and more. 

RPG Research has content not available anywhere else in the world, including the Paul Cardwell Collection donated by the Paul Cardwell, Jr., estate owner, his widow Gladys Cardwell. This collection covers the history of tabletop games from 1970 until his passing in 2020, and includes the world's most extensive collection of the media's representation of role-playing games and gamers since the 1970s, with original content not available anywhere else. This collection includes more than 25 boxes, and over 1,000 pounds, of materials! It has been used as an invaluable resources in a number of documentaries and studies over the decades for those studying role-playing games and gamers.

The RPG Research people have also kindly started work on opening a role-playing game community center in Spokane, Washington, at 101 North Stone Street, 99202. This means that their overhead costs have gone up considerably as they try help even more people and better serve the communities that most benefit from social role-playing games.

They are also working up to, and need a LOT of donations to finish the process, opening the Role-playing Game Museum historical hands-on experiential learning experiences RPG museum.

They have been involved with actively providing role-playing games in the community since 1977!

If you are looking for the single best location to find resources to help you study role-playing games, then check out the RPG Research website, and do consider donating (and/or volunteering) today!