The word “gatekeeping” has been tossed around lately in head-scratching contexts. Reminding players of the rules is gatekeeping? Restricting character options in a game is gatekeeping? It kind of feels like there needs to be a level set somewhere. Bad Gatekeeping Gatekeeping in TTRPGs, like any other social activity, involves creating intentional or unintentional barriers preventing specific individuals from feeling welcome, valued, or included. This can lead to exclusion, discrimination, and the stifling of diverse perspectives and voices within communities. When gatekeeping is overly strict or biased, it can prevent the inclusion of valuable contributions and perspectives, ultimately harming the hobby as a whole. I’ll briefly discuss different forms of bad gatekeeping, but remember, this is a complex (and sometimes sensitive) topic. Restricting Who Can Participate Based on Experience or Knowledge Examples: Dismissing or excluding new players because they don’t know the rules, lore, or lack experience. Mocking beginners for asking questions or suggesting that only “serious” or “experienced” players are welcome at the table. Why it’s bad: This creates a barrier to entry and prevents the hobby from growing. It also discourages people from learning and becoming passionate about the game or community. A welcoming environment should help newcomers feel comfortable, not push them away. “One True Wayism” Examples: Insisting that there’s only one correct way to play a game, or RPGs in general — whether it’s adhering strictly to rules-as-written (RAW), a specific style of roleplaying, or a particular approach to character creation. Players might criticize or belittle others for enjoying different aspects of the game, such as focusing on combat instead of narrative or preferring light-hearted play over serious tone. Why it’s bad: Roleplaying games encompass various playstyles, goals, and ways of enjoying them. Even when playing the same game, different groups and players within a group can enjoy it in other ways. Belittling or dismissing anything but one way of playing alienates players who might enjoy roleplaying differently. Everyone should be allowed to engage with the hobby in the way that’s most fulfilling for them. Using Rules or Lore to Exclude Examples: Claiming that certain character choices, storylines, or playstyles aren’t “authentic” or “correct” because they don’t fit with the “canon” — established lore, setting, or tone. This might involve telling someone their character concept doesn’t belong in the game world because it’s unconventional or doesn’t match your vision of the setting. Why it’s bad: TTRPGs thrive on player creativity and collaborative storytelling. Using rules or lore to restrict others' fun limits imaginative play. Gatekeeping based on lore or “canon” narrows the scope of a game, making it feel rigid and less inclusive. Creating Elitist Social Circles Examples: Forming cliques within a TTRPG community that exclude others based on arbitrary standards like length of time in the hobby, specific game preferences, or insider knowledge. This might include dismissing people who play particular systems (e.g., “real roleplayers only play indie games, not D&D”) or who haven’t read certain books or followed specific trends. Why it’s bad: This creates a toxic hierarchy where some people feel “better” or “more legitimate” than others based on superficial criteria. It alienates potential members of the group and discourages diversity of experience. All voices should be welcome in a healthy community, and no “us vs. them” mentality should exist. Judging People for Their Preferences Examples: Looking down on players who enjoy certain types of content, like those who prefer combat-heavy games or power fantasy to narrative-driven, character-focused stories. This could also extend to players who favor more casual or comedic gaming experiences rather than serious or grimdark themes. Why it’s bad: Everyone enjoys TTRPGs differently, and their preferences are valid. Shaming people for what they like fosters exclusion and discourages them from participating. It’s essential to respect and celebrate the diversity of playstyles within the community rather than imposing a narrow definition of “good” or “real” gaming. Policing Identity or Background Examples: Gatekeeping based on someone’s identity — such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural background — implies that certain people don’t belong in the hobby. This could manifest in dismissing the input of marginalized players or creating environments where they feel unsafe or unwelcome. Why it’s bad: Excluding people based on identity fosters a toxic, discriminatory atmosphere. Regardless of background, everyone should feel welcome in the hobby or community. Encouraging diverse participation enriches everyone’s experience. It brings in fresh perspectives that make the group more vibrant and inclusive. Shaming New or Casual Players Examples: Criticizing players for not knowing intricate rules or mechanics, for not roleplaying to a “high standard”, or even not being aware of the history of the hobby. Why it’s bad: TTRPGs should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the hobby or a specific game. Shaming people for not being “serious” enough, making mistakes, or not being aware of certain games, mechanics, etc., creates an unwelcoming environment that drives people away. The focus should be on having fun together, not measuring skill or dedication. Gatekeeping Based on Edition or Game Preferences Examples: Criticizing players for playing a specific edition of a game or enjoying a game considered “mainstream” or “too popular.” This happens frequently in communities where newer editions of games (like Dungeons & Dragons) are treated as lesser by fans of older versions or where people mock others for enjoying widely popular games over more niche ones. Why it’s bad: People enjoy different games for different reasons. Mocking someone’s preferences for playing a particular edition or game discourages open exploration of the hobby. Rather than dividing the community based on preferences, the focus should be on celebrating the variety of games available and encouraging people to find the one that best suits them. So, What Are Good Examples of Gatekeeping? While gatekeeping often has negative connotations, there are some contexts in which it can be beneficial, mainly when it serves to maintain a healthy, safe, and positive environment. The following are good uses of gatekeeping that help protect the community and ensure a welcoming atmosphere. Some of these are similar to the bad examples from before. The difference is almost always intent. Protecting Against Toxic Behavior Examples: Establish clear boundaries to keep out individuals who engage in toxic behavior, such as harassment, bullying, or discrimination. This might involve asking a player to leave if they consistently make others uncomfortable, use offensive language, or disregard consent or safety tools during play. Why it’s good: This form of gatekeeping helps maintain a safe, inclusive environment where all participants feel respected and valued. It prevents harmful behavior from disrupting the game or social space, allowing everyone to enjoy the experience without fear of harassment or mistreatment. Maintaining Group Dynamics and Compatibility Examples: Ensuring that new players entering an established group align with the group’s playstyle, expectations, and social dynamics. For instance, if the group prefers a heavy focus on roleplaying and story, it might not be the right fit for someone looking for a heavily combat-driven experience. Why it’s good: This type of gatekeeping helps protect the group’s cohesion and ensures everyone is on the same page about how they want to play. It prevents friction caused by mismatched expectations and allows the group to maintain a flow that works for everyone involved. It’s as much to protect the enjoyment of the individual who might not fit in as it is to protect the group. It’s not about exclusion but finding the right fit to ensure everyone’s enjoyment. This isn’t an excuse to fall into the harmful gatekeeping patterns outlined above. If everyone is willing to make adjustments and play together despite differences, that can lead to a better experience. Upholding Community Standards and Values Examples: Establishing and enforcing rules that promote respect, inclusivity, and fairness within a community. This could include guidelines against hate speech, abusive language, or discriminatory behavior and fostering a positive and respectful tone in discussions. Why it’s good: By gatekeeping in a way that reinforces community values, you ensure that the group remains a welcoming space for all participants, especially marginalized or vulnerable individuals. Enforcing these standards creates a healthy and supportive environment where everyone can feel comfortable and appreciated. Ensuring Safety and Consent Examples: Implementing safety tools like the X-card, Lines and Veils, or consent forms to set boundaries for what content is acceptable during gameplay, as well as signal what content can be safely (and enthusiastically) explored. Suppose a player consistently disregards these safety tools or violates others' comfort zones. Removing them from the group is appropriate to protect everyone’s emotional and mental well-being. Why it’s good: Some games can involve intense roleplaying and emotional content; everyone should feel safe exploring those aspects. Gatekeeping to ensure that consent is respected allows players to enjoy the game without being exposed to themes or situations that make them uncomfortable. This prioritizes player safety and promotes healthy, enjoyable play for all. Creating Safe Spaces for Marginalized Groups Examples: Forming or curating specific spaces within the TTRPG community that prioritize or are exclusively for marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, or women. These groups might establish rules to keep out those who don’t share the identity or experiences of the group to create a safer, more affirming environment. Why it’s good: These spaces allow marginalized individuals to feel safe, seen, and supported without fearing judgment or discrimination. Gatekeeping in this context helps protect a group from external pressures or harmful interactions, providing necessary space for individuals who might not feel comfortable or accepted in broader community settings. This isn’t the same as creating exclusionary groups to be “better” than those who aren’t included in the group. Ensuring Player Accountability Examples: Holding players accountable for their behavior, whether that’s respecting in-game boundaries, following the rules of the game, or being a cooperative and respectful player. For example, suppose a player consistently disrupts the game or makes the experience unpleasant for others. In that case, it’s reasonable to remove them from the group. Why it’s good: TTRPGs are collaborative, and bad behavior by one player can ruin the experience for the rest of the group. By gatekeeping disruptive behavior and ensuring accountability, the group can maintain a positive, respectful environment where everyone’s enjoyment is prioritized. Again, this isn’t the same as shaming players for not knowing the rules or having unconventional character ideas. In Closing Gatekeeping in the tabletop roleplaying hobby diminishes the inclusivity, creativity, and fun that should define these spaces. It alienates newcomers, limits the community’s potential, and creates an elitist atmosphere that is damaging in the long run. Everyone benefits from a welcoming, open environment where all players—regardless of experience or background—can contribute and feel valued. Good gatekeeping in TTRPGs and social groups protects and preserves a positive, inclusive, and healthy environment. It involves enforcing boundaries to maintain respect, safety, and accountability while ensuring the group’s dynamics and expectations align. In these cases, gatekeeping is used to safeguard the experience for all participants rather than to exclude people arbitrarily or based on elitism.The word “gatekeeping” has been tossed around lately in head-scratching contexts. Reminding players of the rules is gatekeeping? Restricting character options in a game is gatekeeping? It kind of feels like there needs to be a level set somewhere. Bad Gatekeeping Gatekeeping in TTRPGs, like any other social activity, involves creating intentional or unintentional barriers preventing specific individuals from feeling welcome, valued, or included. This can lead to exclusion, discrimination, and the stifling of diverse perspectives and voices within communities. When gatekeeping is overly strict or biased, it can prevent the inclusion of valuable contributions and perspectives, ultimately harming the hobby as a whole. I’ll briefly discuss different forms of bad gatekeeping, but remember, this is a complex (and sometimes sensitive) topic. Restricting Who Can Participate Based on Experience or Knowledge Examples: Dismissing or excluding new players because they don’t know the rules, lore, or lack experience. Mocking beginners for asking questions or suggesting that only “serious” or “experienced” players are welcome at the table. Why it’s bad: This creates a barrier to entry and prevents the hobby from growing. It also discourages people from learning and becoming passionate about the game or community. A welcoming environment should help newcomers feel comfortable, not push them away. “One True Wayism” Examples: Insisting that there’s only one correct way to play a game, or RPGs in general — whether it’s adhering strictly to rules-as-written (RAW), a specific style of roleplaying, or a particular approach to character creation. Players might criticize or belittle others for enjoying different aspects of the game, such as focusing on combat instead of narrative or preferring light-hearted play over serious tone. Why it’s bad: Roleplaying games encompass various playstyles, goals, and ways of enjoying them. Even when playing the same game, different groups and players within a group can enjoy it in other ways. Belittling or dismissing anything but one way of playing alienates players who might enjoy roleplaying differently. Everyone should be allowed to engage with the hobby in the way that’s most fulfilling for them. Using Rules or Lore to Exclude Examples: Claiming that certain character choices, storylines, or playstyles aren’t “authentic” or “correct” because they don’t fit with the “canon” — established lore, setting, or tone. This might involve telling someone their character concept doesn’t belong in the game world because it’s unconventional or doesn’t match your vision of the setting. Why it’s bad: TTRPGs thrive on player creativity and collaborative storytelling. Using rules or lore to restrict others' fun limits imaginative play. Gatekeeping based on lore or “canon” narrows the scope of a game, making it feel rigid and less inclusive. Creating Elitist Social Circles Examples: Forming cliques within a TTRPG community that exclude others based on arbitrary standards like length of time in the hobby, specific game preferences, or insider knowledge. This might include dismissing people who play particular systems (e.g., “real roleplayers only play indie games, not D&D”) or who haven’t read certain books or followed specific trends. Why it’s bad: This creates a toxic hierarchy where some people feel “better” or “more legitimate” than others based on superficial criteria. It alienates potential members of the group and discourages diversity of experience. All voices should be welcome in a healthy community, and no “us vs. them” mentality should exist. Judging People for Their Preferences Examples: Looking down on players who enjoy certain types of content, like those who prefer combat-heavy games or power fantasy to narrative-driven, character-focused stories. This could also extend to players who favor more casual or comedic gaming experiences rather than serious or grimdark themes. Why it’s bad: Everyone enjoys TTRPGs differently, and their preferences are valid. Shaming people for what they like fosters exclusion and discourages them from participating. It’s essential to respect and celebrate the diversity of playstyles within the community rather than imposing a narrow definition of “good” or “real” gaming. Policing Identity or Background Examples: Gatekeeping based on someone’s identity — such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural background — implies that certain people don’t belong in the hobby. This could manifest in dismissing the input of marginalized players or creating environments where they feel unsafe or unwelcome. Why it’s bad: Excluding people based on identity fosters a toxic, discriminatory atmosphere. Regardless of background, everyone should feel welcome in the hobby or community. Encouraging diverse participation enriches everyone’s experience. It brings in fresh perspectives that make the group more vibrant and inclusive. Shaming New or Casual Players Examples: Criticizing players for not knowing intricate rules or mechanics, for not roleplaying to a “high standard”, or even not being aware of the history of the hobby. Why it’s bad: TTRPGs should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the hobby or a specific game. Shaming people for not being “serious” enough, making mistakes, or not being aware of certain games, mechanics, etc., creates an unwelcoming environment that drives people away. The focus should be on having fun together, not measuring skill or dedication. Gatekeeping Based on Edition or Game Preferences Examples: Criticizing players for playing a specific edition of a game or enjoying a game considered “mainstream” or “too popular.” This happens frequently in communities where newer editions of games (like Dungeons & Dragons) are treated as lesser by fans of older versions or where people mock others for enjoying widely popular games over more niche ones. Why it’s bad: People enjoy different games for different reasons. Mocking someone’s preferences for playing a particular edition or game discourages open exploration of the hobby. Rather than dividing the community based on preferences, the focus should be on celebrating the variety of games available and encouraging people to find the one that best suits them. So, What Are Good Examples of Gatekeeping? While gatekeeping often has negative connotations, there are some contexts in which it can be beneficial, mainly when it serves to maintain a healthy, safe, and positive environment. The following are good uses of gatekeeping that help protect the community and ensure a welcoming atmosphere. Some of these are similar to the bad examples from before. The difference is almost always intent. Protecting Against Toxic Behavior Examples: Establish clear boundaries to keep out individuals who engage in toxic behavior, such as harassment, bullying, or discrimination. This might involve asking a player to leave if they consistently make others uncomfortable, use offensive language, or disregard consent or safety tools during play. Why it’s good: This form of gatekeeping helps maintain a safe, inclusive environment where all participants feel respected and valued. It prevents harmful behavior from disrupting the game or social space, allowing everyone to enjoy the experience without fear of harassment or mistreatment. Maintaining Group Dynamics and Compatibility Examples: Ensuring that new players entering an established group align with the group’s playstyle, expectations, and social dynamics. For instance, if the group prefers a heavy focus on roleplaying and story, it might not be the right fit for someone looking for a heavily combat-driven experience. Why it’s good: This type of gatekeeping helps protect the group’s cohesion and ensures everyone is on the same page about how they want to play. It prevents friction caused by mismatched expectations and allows the group to maintain a flow that works for everyone involved. It’s as much to protect the enjoyment of the individual who might not fit in as it is to protect the group. It’s not about exclusion but finding the right fit to ensure everyone’s enjoyment. This isn’t an excuse to fall into the harmful gatekeeping patterns outlined above. If everyone is willing to make adjustments and play together despite differences, that can lead to a better experience. Upholding Community Standards and Values Examples: Establishing and enforcing rules that promote respect, inclusivity, and fairness within a community. This could include guidelines against hate speech, abusive language, or discriminatory behavior and fostering a positive and respectful tone in discussions. Why it’s good: By gatekeeping in a way that reinforces community values, you ensure that the group remains a welcoming space for all participants, especially marginalized or vulnerable individuals. Enforcing these standards creates a healthy and supportive environment where everyone can feel comfortable and appreciated. Ensuring Safety and Consent Examples: Implementing safety tools like the X-card, Lines and Veils, or consent forms to set boundaries for what content is acceptable during gameplay, as well as signal what content can be safely (and enthusiastically) explored. Suppose a player consistently disregards these safety tools or violates others' comfort zones. Removing them from the group is appropriate to protect everyone’s emotional and mental well-being. Why it’s good: Some games can involve intense roleplaying and emotional content; everyone should feel safe exploring those aspects. Gatekeeping to ensure that consent is respected allows players to enjoy the game without being exposed to themes or situations that make them uncomfortable. This prioritizes player safety and promotes healthy, enjoyable play for all. Creating Safe Spaces for Marginalized Groups Examples: Forming or curating specific spaces within the TTRPG community that prioritize or are exclusively for marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, or women. These groups might establish rules to keep out those who don’t share the identity or experiences of the group to create a safer, more affirming environment. Why it’s good: These spaces allow marginalized individuals to feel safe, seen, and supported without fearing judgment or discrimination. Gatekeeping in this context helps protect a group from external pressures or harmful interactions, providing necessary space for individuals who might not feel comfortable or accepted in broader community settings. This isn’t the same as creating exclusionary groups to be “better” than those who aren’t included in the group. Ensuring Player Accountability Examples: Holding players accountable for their behavior, whether that’s respecting in-game boundaries, following the rules of the game, or being a cooperative and respectful player. For example, suppose a player consistently disrupts the game or makes the experience unpleasant for others. In that case, it’s reasonable to remove them from the group. Why it’s good: TTRPGs are collaborative, and bad behavior by one player can ruin the experience for the rest of the group. By gatekeeping disruptive behavior and ensuring accountability, the group can maintain a positive, respectful environment where everyone’s enjoyment is prioritized. Again, this isn’t the same as shaming players for not knowing the rules or having unconventional character ideas. In Closing Gatekeeping in the tabletop roleplaying hobby diminishes the inclusivity, creativity, and fun that should define these spaces. It alienates newcomers, limits the community’s potential, and creates an elitist atmosphere that is damaging in the long run. Everyone benefits from a welcoming, open environment where all players—regardless of experience or background—can contribute and feel valued. Good gatekeeping in TTRPGs and social groups protects and preserves a positive, inclusive, and healthy environment. It involves enforcing boundaries to maintain respect, safety, and accountability while ensuring the group’s dynamics and expectations align. In these cases, gatekeeping is used to safeguard the experience for all participants rather than to exclude people arbitrarily or based on elitism.