From “Playing a Role” to “Role-Playing Games”: The Genealogy and History of the Term “Role-Playing”

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive semantic genealogy of the term “role-playing,” tracing its multifaceted evolution from theatrical origins to its current association with leisure activities, especially role-playing games (RPGs). Rather than offering yet another contested definition, it maps the shifting meanings of “role-playing” across nine historical and disciplinary contexts from dissimulation and child development theories to psychodramatic therapy, educational simulations, and eventually hobby RPGs. By examining textual sources from 18th-century German literature to 20th-century social science and gaming culture, the study demonstrates how “role-playing” has variously denoted acting, influencing, social conformity, improvisational learning, and structured gameplay.

Of particular relevance to role-playing game studies is the article’s nuanced account of how “role-playing game” as a term emerged not in hobbyist circles, but in developmental psychology and Cold War simulations, long before the advent of Dungeons & Dragons (1974). It highlights how character-focused gameplay practices evolved from psychological theory and strategic war games, eventually culminating in the narrative and performative forms that define RPGs today. The study further emphasizes the hybrid nature of RPGs, where character embodiment, improvisation, and rule-based structure coexist in a uniquely ludic space.
This genealogical approach offers a critical contribution to RPG studies by decentering the D&D-centric narrative and showing that the term “role-playing” has never been monolithic. Instead, it is a layered, historically contingent construct that continues to evolve. The article’s interdisciplinary breadth makes it valuable for scholars of game studies, theater, psychology, education, and cultural history alike.