We'll tackle today a hobby that runs similar to the way RPGs evolved from wargaming. And perhaps, shows a path the RPG industry might return to. It's called Magic. No, not the card game. Not the occult stuff.
Many people enjoy watching magic in theaters, on television, and all over the place at Las Vegas.
And a very small group actually practice it avidly. Extending the analogy to gaming, we can equate those who merely watch as 'fantasy fans'. Folks who know a trick or two as CCG players or people who played a game or two in school. With magic, dabbles at this level translate to RPG's 'players', while the professional term really fits 'GMs'. Let's look at what Practitioners do.