The Most Popular TTRPGs

I’ve analysed search data over the last several years to understand which TTRPGs are the most popular.

About the data

Unfortunately, there’s no survey that’s audited every table to see what they’re playing and which systems they prefer. What I do have is search volume data from Google which tells us on average, how often people search for each system each month.

I’ve gathered this data every month since 2019 so I could get a snapshot of how the landscape looked pre-COVID (when TTRPGs boomed) and beyond.

This isn’t a perfect metric for determining popularity. There are a few issues with this data, the main 3 being:

1. Searching for a system doesn’t mean you like it or that you’re using it
2. Some system names crossover with other things. For instances, there are cars called Pathfinder and Lancer. Vampire: The Masquerade also has video games that inflate searches
3. I only looked at the core few terms for an RPG, not every search made about it so this data doesn’t encompass every search made about each TTRPG, just the core searches

However, it is an indication of popularity. The data shows that loads of people search for D&D, and we know it’s the most popular system out there. Many people searching are doing so because they play the game or have an active interest in it. Because of this, we can use it as an indicator of popularity, even if it doesn’t tell the whole story.

I’ve pulled my list of TTRPGs to analyse from Start Playing’s list of most popular TTRPGs on their platform back in 2024 as well as including some more recently released TTRPGs like Daggerheart into the mix.

Most popular TTRPGs in 2026

The answer will likely surprise nobody, but the most popular TTRPG is of course D&D. It was searched for 215k times per month, a figure that’s 177% higher than its next closest rival (Pathfinder) and is 2,776% higher than the system in 3rd place (Vampire: The Masquerade).

The top 20 includes:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Vampire: The Masquerade
4. Cyberpunk Red
5. Daggerheart
6. Blades in the Dark
7. Fabula Ultima
8. Starfinder
9. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
10. Monster of the Week
11. World of Darkness
12. City of Mist
13. Savage Worlds
14. GURPS
15. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
16. Lancer
17. Shadowdark
18. Star Wars 5e
19. Draw Steel
20. Star Wars RPG

It’s a little hard to see how the other TTRPGs perform when D&D and Pathfinder are included so I’ve removed both of them in the chart below (and for other charts) so it’s easier to compare.

I was expecting Daggerheart and Starfinder to be a little higher in the list. However, Vampire: The Masquerade has been a round for a long time and Cyberpunk Red is associated with the very popular Cyberpunk 2077 video game which may explain their interest.

Most popular TTRPGs of 2025

The most popular TTRPGs look quite different in 2025. This is likely because a few new systems launched that year. Most notably, we see Daggerheart released and it becomes the most popular outside of the big 2 (which I’ve left out to make the chart clearer). We also had the release of the Cosmere RPG which has since dropped to 22nd on the list in 2026 but rose as high as 5th in 2025.

Draw Steel notably peaks at 7th in 2025, but has since dropped to 19th in 2026.

The most surprising position on here is probably Starfinder which launched it’s 2nd edition in 2025 but is only 11th that year.

Here’s the list of most popular TTRPGs in 2025:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Daggerheart
4. Cyberpunk Red
5. Cosmere RPG
6. Vampire: The Masquerade
7. Blades in the Dark
8. Draw Steel
9. Fabula Ultima
10. Lancer
11. Starfinder
12. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
13. GURPS
14. Star Wars RPG
15. World of Darkness
16. Monster of the Week
17. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
18. Savage Worlds
19. City of Mist
20. Star Wars 5e

Most popular TTRPGs of 2024

2024 was the year that Daggerheart was building up hype, as was the Cosmere RPG. Neither had launched yet, but both still feature in the top 10. It is however, the year that D&D 5.5e (2024) released.

This did lead to a temporary bump in interest for D&D during August and September, but interest in D&D had been in decline following the COVID lockdown years and has tended to trend slightly down in popularity, though searches remain up against 2019 by +18%.

Here’s the full list of the most popular TTRPGs in 2024:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Cyberpunk Red
4. Vampire: The Masquerade
5. Starfinder
6. Blades in the Dark
7. Daggerheart
8. Lancer
9. Cosmere RPG
10. Shadowdark
11. GURPS
12. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
13. Star Wars RPG
14. Monster of the Week
15. World of Darkness
16. Savage Worlds
17. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
18. Star Wars 5e
19. City of Mist
20. Tales of the valiant

Most popular TTRPGs of 2023

2023 isn’t too different from 2024, but Lancer is enjoying practically double the searches it experienced in 2024 (perhaps due to announcements of a 2nd print edition). We also see Candela Obscura, the forerunner to Daggerheart from Critical Role/Darrington Press and based on the Illuminated Worlds System.

This is the only year Candela Obscura features in the top 20 before fading into obscurity. It never reaches the lofty heights of its more famous sibling, Daggerheart, which for now seems to be retaining much of its popularity.

Here’s the full top 20 in 2023:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Vampire: The Masquerade
4. Cyberpunk Red
5. Lancer
6. Starfinder
7. Candela Obscura
8. Blades in the Dark
9. GURPS
10. Shadowdark
11. Monster of the Week
12. World of Darkness
13. Savage Worlds
14. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
15. Star Wars 5e
16. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
17. Powered by the Apocalypse
18. Star Wars RPG
19. City of Mist
20. Call of Cthulu

Most popular TTRPGS of 2022

Following the OGL (Open Game License) controversy in 2023 which attempted to walk back free use of the OGL for D&D, many publishers went away and built their own systems separate from 5e. This is why we see a flurry of publishers creating and launching their own systems around 2023-2025.

Because of this, we find that 2022 has a more stable bunch of systems with much less in the way of movement or challenger systems.

The top 20 includes:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Vampire: The Masquerade
4. Cyberpunk Red
5. Blades in the Dark
6. Lancer
7. GURPS
8. Starfinder
9. World of Darkness
10. Monster of the Week
11. Savage Worlds
12. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
13. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
14. Star Wars 5e
15. City of Mist
16. Powered by the Apocalypse
17. Star Wars RPG
18. Alien RPG
19. Old School Essentials
20. Call of Cthulu

Most popular TTRPGs of 2021

Following some phenomenal popularity in 2020 (which I’ll come to soon), Cyberpunk Red saw a huge drop off in 2021 but has since recovered interest, remaining a mainstay of the top 5 TTRPGs and often only being searched for less than D&D and Pathfinder. It’s even managed to stave off Daggerheart other than in 2025 when Daggerheart launched. However, in 2021, it slumps to an all time low with Starfinder overtaking it in popularity.

2021’s top 20 TTRPGs includes:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Vampire: The Masquerade
4. Starfinder
5. Cyberpunk Red
6. GURPS
7. Blades in the Dark
8. World of Darkness
9. Monster of the Week
10. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
11. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
12. Lancer
13. City of Mist
14. Savage Worlds
15. Stars Wars RPG
16. Vaesen
17. Alien RPG
18. Powered by the Apocalypse
19. Star Wars 5e
20. The One Ring

Most popular TTRPGS of 2020

2020 is the year COVID arrived and lockdowns began which led to a surge in popularity of TTRPGs as people looked to find ways to entertain themselves at home and connect with others online. However, this doesn’t necessarily correlate with an increase in searches for these TTRPGs. D&D actually declines in interest by 10%, Pathfinder drops by 9% and we see a similar trend across other systems too. It’s not really until 2022 when we see that growth in searches occur.

However, what affects popularity more than anything is the release of the much anticipated video game, Cyberpunk 2077 and its accompanying TTRPG, Cyberpunk Red. It generates a huge amount of interest (though this may more indicate video gamers curious about the TTRPG more than those playing it). In fact, it has more interest in its release year than Daggerheart did in its by a staggering +186%!

Here’s the full top 20 TTRPGs of 2020:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Cyberpunk Red
4. Vampire: The Masquerade
5. Starfinder
6. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
7. Blades in the Dark
8. GURPS
9. Star Wars RPG
10. Monster of the Week
11. Lancer
12. Star Wars 5e
13. Savage Worlds
14. World of Darkness
15. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
16. Alien RPG
17. City of Mist
18. Shadowrun
19. Call of Cthulu
20. Traveller

Most popular TTRPGs of 2019

Before the days of lockdowns and Coronavirus, we had 2019. It was also a less busy space in the world of TTRPGs with fewer systems competing for our attention (though there are still quite a lot of them. Interestingly, Vampire: The Masquerade is at its most popular during this period with only 2023 seeing nearly as many searches.

The Star Wars RPG also enjoyed its most popular year with it declining in popularity over subsequent years. This may be due the emergence of the fan made Star Wars 5e TTRPG sharing the spotlight as it emerged primarily in 2019.

The full top 20 includes:

1. D&D
2. Pathfinder
3. Vampire: The Masquerade
4. Starfinder
5. Star Wars RPG
6. GURPS
7. Lancer
8. Monster of the Week
9. Star Wars 5e
10. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
11. Savage Worlds
12. Cyberpunk Red
13. Alien RPG
14. Blades in the Dark
15. World of Darkness
16. Pokemon Tabletop United
17. Werewolf: The Apocalypse
18. City of Mist
19. Call of Cthulu
20. Powered by the Apocalypse

D&D popularity over time

We can see with D&D that popularity increased during lockdown, but since the end of 2023, has been slowly trending downwards. It remains more highly searched than it was prior to lockdown, but is no longer becoming more popular.

Interest has peaked during certain periods too. the huge spike in April 2023 coincides with the critically well-received D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves. We also see a bit of a bump around August 2024 when the 5.5e rules released

Pathfinder popularity over time

Like D&D, Pathfinder appears to have peaked in 2023 and seen a slow decline since then. I don’t necessarily think that this decline will be continuous, but it seems the post COVID era of interest is waning. 2023 also happens to be when D&D had its OGL fiasco. There were those that looked for alternative systems as a result and this may be why Pathfinder (the next biggest TTRPG behind D&D and a genuine D&D alternative) saw a surge of interest. This is also when Paizo remastered their 2nd edition core rulebooks.

Starfinder popularity over time

I also wanted to take a closer look at Pathfinder’s less well-known, sci-fi TTRPG, Starfinder. It lags a considerable way behind Pathfinder when it comes to searches. Like Pathfinder, it benefitted from a serious bump in interest during the 2023 OGL fiasco D&D self-inflicted.

Unlike Pathfinder, prior to 2023, it had been declining in interest and has continued that trend since the 2023 bump. It did receive a boost in interest during the summer of 2025 when the 2e rules were released. That boost appears to have been temporary as the decline in popularity has continued since then.

Daggerheart popularity over time

We can see when Daggerheart was first announced back in April 2023 and players started making searches for it, but there still wasn’t a lot interest generated until March 2024 when the first playtest was released and players got to see whether Daggerheart was a genuine contender to D&D or not.

When the game released in May 2025, we see an even bigger spike in interest. This did subside for a while and even drops quite low during spring 2026 before Hope & Fear was published (Daggerheart’s first official expansion). While interest since then remains solid, Daggerheart’s interest remains far behind that of D&D and Pathfinder, even if it still manages to retain a substantial position of 5th among TTRPGs. Not bad for a newcomer, but also not the D&D killer some heralded it as being.

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