Role-Playing Game Research best resource in the world free and open through RPG Research
If you are looking for the single best resource for role-playing game research, the world's largest free and open repository on the effects of all role-playing games and their formats can be found at the non-profit RPG Research's website www.rpgresearch.com with no paywalls, though they are very grateful for any donations you can provide, you can see their options for donating money to cover operating expenses, insurance, etc. specific items through their Amazon charities wishlist, to recurring monthly subscriptions through Paypal or Patreon.
The are also unique in that they are 100% volunteer-run. No one at RPG Research is paid for the incredible work they do. They have documented directly helping tens of thousands of people through role-playing gaming over the decades.
They have more than 10,000 content items related to the effects of role-playing games, across a transmedia selection of essays, books, papers, studies, audio, video, panels, and more.
The have content not available anywhere else in the world, including the Paul Cardwell Collection donated by the Paul Cardwell, Jr., estate owner, his widow Gladys Cardwell. This collection covers the history of tabletop games from 1970 until his passing in 2020, and includes the world's most extensive collection of the media's representation of role-playing games and gamers since the 1970s, with original content not available anywhere else. This collection includes more than 25 boxes, and over 1,000 pounds, of materials! It has been used as an invaluable resources in a number of documentaries and studies over the decades for those studying role-playing games and gamers.
They have recently started to work on opening a brand new role-playing game community center in Spokane, Washington, so their overhead costs have suddenly gone up considerably in their efforts to help better serve the communities that most benefit from social role-playing games.
They are also working up to, and need a LOT of donations to finish the process, opening the Role-playing Game Museum historical hands-on experiential learning experiences RPG museum.
They have been involved with actively providing role-playing games in the community since 1977!
If you are looking for the single best location to find resources to help you study role-playing games, then check out the RPG Research website, and do consider donating (and/or volunteering) today!