Naavik Gaming Podcast The Present & Future of Digital Tabletop RPGs
Oct 21, 2025
David Scott, CEO of Evil Genius Games and a former tech entrepreneur, dives into the evolving landscape of tabletop RPGs. He discusses the post-COVID surge in popularity, how digital platforms are reshaping gameplay, and the potential risks of piracy. Scott explores the balance between physical and digital sales, emphasizing subscription models and player preferences. He also highlights the transmedia potential of RPGs, calling out opportunities in platforms like Roblox and predicting growth in AR and VR for future tabletop experiences.
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Founder Story: Lifelong TTRPG Player
- David Scott became a lifelong tabletop player after discovering Dungeons & Dragons at age 11 and has played every Tuesday for 35 years.
- That personal history shaped his drive to build modern tabletop systems and publish Everyday Heroes.
Tabletop RPGs Are A Rapidly Growing Market
- Tabletop RPGs are a $30B industry growing faster than video games and gained momentum from people seeking social, unplugged experiences after COVID.
- The hobby's social nature and resurgence make it a durable, expanding market for publishers and platforms.
Publish Physical First, Then Digitize
- Evil Genius builds physical rulebooks first, then recreates those games digitally to capture the full tabletop experience online.
- Their Sidekick subscription hosts core rules plus many campaign settings and genres for cross-format play.
