Before anything else, I am not saying the World of Darkness is dead. Much like its denizens, it's more undead. The franchise's perpetual cult status ensures that while it may never beat D&D in popularity, it will always have a dedicated fandom. Yet there was once a time when it was as synonymous with the TTRPG scene as D&D is today. That stretch from the late 90s to early 2000s was a counter-culture boom period that World of Darkness thrived in.
For starters, let's look at how much Vampire: The Masquerade influenced the modern vampire. As detailed in the World of Darkness documentary from 2017, artist Tim Bradstreet's work on VTMB heavily influenced the aesthetic of Blade. So much so that he was officially hired by Guillermo Del Toro for Blade 2. Outside of film, Vampire: The Masquerade also influenced the LARP community, particularly in the parlor theater style. Instead of DnD classes playfighting, parlor LARPs focused on the social aspect of roleplay.
And while it's true that WoD itself was inspired by other works (particularly Gnostic lore, the goth scene, and Anne Rice novels), it had a style all its own. But when the Old World of Darkness ended, the descent soon began. Whether it was the video game disappointments, IP hot potato issues, or other questionable controversies, WoD was a shadow of its popularity by the 2010s.
Despite these troubles, the fandom still talks lovingly of the setting. Fan series such as Hunter: The Parenting introduced so many people to this delightfully dark world. Meanwhile, popular D&D shows such as Dimension 20 have begun dipping their toes in Vampire: The Masquerade.
And of course, Teyon's upcoming Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish is sure to bring even more fans. Just as Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines did decades before. While the future remains unclear, I believe there's no better time to embrace the World of Darkness than now. Hopefully, this inspire a new wave of TTRPG goodness for the franchise. If not, at least I have more Kindred to spend time with.
Speaking of, come join our humble Camarilla over at the Wargamer Discord. For more on Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish, Wargamer's coverage can be read here.