On the relationship between autistic traits and table-top role-playing games.

Why are table-top role-playing games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons – social games with a heavy reliance on pretense and the playing of a role – popular with autistic people despite the association of autism with difficulties with pretend play, social communication, and perspective taking? In this survey of 319 TTRPG hobbyists from the general (non-clinical) population, greater autistic traits as measured by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient were associated with greater importance attached to the simulative and problem-solving aspects of the games but lower importance to the socialising component. The attraction of TTRPGs for those with greater autistic traits therefore appears to due to an enjoyment of the mathematical and historical simulation of environments, people and actions, and finding solutions to problems and puzzles, in spite of the social component rather than because of it. Implications for mixed neurotypical/neurodivergent vs neurodivergent-only groups of players is discussed.