Over the last decade,Dungeons and Dragonshas seen a surge in popularity, in no small part due to its prominence in shows likeStranger Thingsand games likeBaldur’s Gate 3. However, the advent of the TTRPG actual play has been a major contributing factor to its success as well. While there are plenty of greatDungeons and Dragonsactual plays on the market, Dropout’sDimension 20is one of the most popular – and its recent sold-out live show at Madison Square Garden is proof of that.
Game Rant recently talked toDimension 20executive producer, writer, and game master Brennan Lee Mulligan about the meteoricrise of not onlyDungeons and Dragonsand TTRPGs, but his own actual play. From the recentGauntlet at the Gardenlive show in New York City to the upcomingBattle at the Bowlin Hollywood,Dimension 20has seen unprecedented growth in popularity – growth that Mulligan is still trying to digest. The comedian shared some of his experiences along this journey and even gave a teaser for what fans can expect in the next live show.
The Critical Success of Dimension 20
‘It’s Absurd. It’s a Gift. It’s a Miracle.’ – Dimension 20’s Meteoric Rise to Fame
Dimension 20began airing on July 31, 2025, amid a renaissance of TTRPG actual play streams. Pulling inspiration fromshows likeCritical Role,Adventure Zone, andNot Another D&D Podcast,Dimension 20quickly found a niche by focusing on comedy and zany concepts, such as the combination of high school and high fantasy to createFantasy High.
Amid what Mulligan described as the “new ecosystem of information” created by the internet, the actual play had gained a healthy following – but theCOVID-19 pandemic propelledDimension 20to unexpected heightsof success. “It’s absurd. It’s a gift. It’s a miracle,” Mulligan admitted. “I’m staggered and bewildered at the sequence of events that led us here.” Isolating viewers flocked to the platform during lockdown, turningDimension 20from a modestly popular show to one of the biggest names in the actual play sphere.
And yet, Mulligan was quick to point out that its rise to fame didn’t happen in plain sight. “This is an artifact of the age of digital media in which fanbases can accumulate to preposterous numbers siloed from prestige legacy media,” Mulligan explained. “Yes, you have built this big audience, but you’ve built it in the shadows.” Much like thehidden world of magic in theUnsleeping City,Dimension 20’s fanbase was formed beneath the surface of mainstream pop culture – a fact that led to some particularly comedic moments whenDimension 20sold out their recent live show at Madison Square Garden.
“The fans were wearing cosplay, they were excited, they were pumped. They are realizing how big the show has become because there is an entire stadium full of people who are going ‘Hoot! Growl! Hoot! Growl!’ And here’s some 65-year-old teamster from Long Island being like, ‘What’s this about? Dungeons and what the f***?'”
Mulligan is still adapting to the surprisingsurge in popularity thatDungeons and Dragonsand TTRPGs as a whole have received, let aloneDimension 20’s success. “I still haven’t gotten over the fact that you can just do this for a living, period,” he said. Citing a time whenDungeons and Dragonswas “a weird, oral culture of sourdough starter GMs moving from group to group and teaching the game,” Mulligan was floored to find that they had sold out during theGauntlet at the Gardenshow in under an hour. “This is where the Knicks play,” Mulligan exclaimed. “This is where Jalen Godd*** Brunson plays basketball!”
Rumble in the Chungle – Dimension 20’s Second Live Show of 2025
And yet, the critical success ofDimension 20has only just begun. It has three more live shows planned this year: theBattle at the Bowlin Hollywood on June 1,Quangle Questat the Climate Pledge Arena on July 20, andViva Mas Vegasat the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 3.
The first of these, called theRumble in the Chungle, will be a canon showdown between the notorious Chungledown Bim and Fabian Seacaster in theDimension 20world ofFantasy High– the finale to a hilarious rivalry that has spanned years, both in-game and out. “Ol’ Bimothy has some tricks up his sleeves,” Mulligan teased. “It’s been some years in canon, so he may have some tricks up his sleeve that you may not have even seen inDimension 20Foundry [where me and Lou Wilson statted him out].” Only time will tell how this contest will end, but one thing is for sure: only one of these nemeses will walk out of the Hollywood Bowl alive.
Is it the central hero-villain relationship of Fantasy High? Is Chungle Down, in some ways, thematically, the most appropriate arch-villain for the series thus far? I leave that to fans to decide. All I know is that I definitely planned on this gnome with a beard and mustache and pockets full of spaghetti being this important when I made him up. And that, you can believe, okay?
Luckily, fans who miss out on the live show in person will be able to watch it on Dropout, though not for a bit. It took just under four months for theGauntlet at the Gardento make its way to the streaming platform, so until theRumble in the Chunglearrives on Dropout, Mulligan suggests fans “go to your social media sites and muteBattle at the Bowl, because I don’t want anyone to share spoilers, but baby, it’s the internet. It’s rough out there.”
