

Derek Garcia
Author
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455articles
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419Features
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11Lists
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1Guides
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1Reviews
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23Other
About Derek Garcia
Derek Garcia is a Game Feature Writer for ScreenRant. He is also the author of Forgotten Fate, a 5e compatible tabletop RPG system and setting available on DriveThruRPG for $5 USD.
His writing for ScreenRant includes both video game and tabletop RPG features. When trying to meet a specific word count in writing a personal biography, Derek sometimes adds pithy quotes, like, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Author Details
Derek lives with his wife, three dogs, and a likely excessive number of video game consoles. When he is not writing, playing video games, watching movies or television, or reading novels or comic books, he occasionally takes some time to sleep. Derek majored in journalism and worked for a print newspaper before discovering the internet. After being immersed in nerd culture for many years, he is now happy to write about the media he enjoys instead of just ranting to his friends.
Industry Focus
Derek is an avid tabletop RPG player and Game Master, a lifelong video game fan, and an enthusiast for films, television, and comics. He takes equal interest in charting the history of entertainment media and emergent trends and evolution, alongside analyzing where the future might take them.
Favorite Media
Derek is a fan of science fiction and fantasy, video game and tabletop RPGs, classic Hong Kong action movies, and graphic novels. He explores genre classics as well as diving into the latest and greatest. Derek balances sampling the newest entertainment media with revisiting the well of a (thankfully) never-ending backlog.
Latest

Why DMs Shouldn’t Try To Be Funny In D&D & Let It Happen Naturally Instead
Veteran Dungeons & Dragons fans know the game is often incredibly funny, but Dungeon Masters should avoid scripted jokes, as these destroy immersion.

Avoiding D&D Drama & Conflict Is One Of The Worst Mistakes A Party Can Make
New Dungeons & Dragons players may see developing relationships with NPCs and causes as a weakness, but drama thrives on connections and convictions.

The Steam Deck Is Far From Switch 2's Only Serious Portable Rival
Switch 2’s high price point makes it hard for consumers to justify, given the large number of competitively priced portable gaming options available.

After 20 Years, It’s Time For D&D To Launch An Original Setting Again
With Eberron, the 3.5 edition Dungeons & Dragons rules received a setting wholly designed around its mechanics. D&D 2024 needs this design approach.

I'm Glad The D&D 2024 Updated Ruleset Didn't Change The Best New Rule From 5e
The 2024 Dungeons & Dragons rules kept the most important rules of 5e intact, including Concentration, a truly vital tool for spellcaster balancing.

Dungeons & Dragons Campaigns Can Enhance Roleplaying With The Help Of Carl Jung
Dungeons & Dragons includes Backgrounds and Alignments which help with roleplaying. Adding Carl Jung’s Persona and Shadow takes RP to the next level.

Avowed On Game Reminds Me How Weird Xbox Achievements Are
Millions of players have tried Avowed thanks to Game . These numbers can cause Achievements that should be commonplace to appear weirdly elusive.

I’m Convinced Old-School D&D Rules Have A Huge Mandela Effect
There is a Mandela effect at work with how people older editions of Dungeons & Dragons. The rules provided a system for dungeons and combat.

D&D 2024 Made My Party's Favorite Druid Subclass So Much Worse
The 2014 Circle of the Moon druid was among the game’s most unconventional tanking builds, but the 2024 changes to Wild Shape fully ruin Moon druids.

Avowed Learned The Best Lesson From The Outer Worlds' Biggest Shortcoming, & Obsidian's Next Game Should Too
Obsidian is best known for its storytelling. The Outer Worlds failed to showcase this skill, with its forced humor and fear of “political” messages.

PS Plus Is Finally Countering Xbox Game , But It Needs To Move Faster
Game received an amazing day-one released RPG with Avowed. PlayStation Plus getting Dragon Age 4 next month is a solid counter for RPG fans.

After 5e, Old-School D&D Now Means The Opposite Of What It Used To
For years Dungeons & Dragons’ newer editions have competed with OSR games, but D&D should focus on advancing its design and let OSR claim its legacy.

Xbox Game 's Success Is Thanks To One Simple Reason That Amazon Still Doesn't Understand
A VP of Prime Gaming discussed Amazon’s failures with Luna, and its inability to beat Steam as a storefront, but he missed the real lesson entirely.

How D&D Players Can A Campaign In Progress (The Right Way)
Many Dungeons & Dragons games add new players partway through. Experienced players know the right way, and the wrong way, to a game in progress.

Yes, You Should Absolutely Run Severance As A D&D Game
Severance is a uniquely horrifying and compelling television series. All of its thrills can translate to Dungeons & Dragons, and other tabletop RPGs.

I've Been A DM For 20 Years, Here's My Advice For Getting Your D&D Parties Excited & More Involved
Pinning down the differences between a great Dungeons & Dragons campaign and a failure can seem elusive. The Dungeon Master’s energy level is the key.

Is The 2025 D&D Monster Manual An Open Book Test, Or A Guessing Game?
The new Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual makes some changes to monster categories, but it fails to answer questions raised by the Player’s Handbook.

We Should All Be Worried About Nintendo's Latest Legal Moves, Especially If You Already Enjoy Nintendo Games
Nintendo once inspired the imaginations of game creators. Today, Nintendo’s overzealous litigation makes developers afraid to enter the industry.

I Hope D&D Is Paying Attention To The Ennies' AI Ban For TTRPGs
TTRPGs face a critical decision, on being a human-created art form or AI-generated content. The ENNIES are on the right side, but D&D might not be.

D&D: I'm Glad I Didn't Wait For The Official Sci-Fi Take On 5E
WOTC will be publishing Exodus, a science fiction tabletop RPG that appears to share a ruleset with DnD, but sci-fi DnD options are already available.