So building on yesterday’s blog post, after asking ChatGPT to contrast litRPG against epic fantasy, I asked the AI to come up with twenty more principles that show how litRPG and epic fantasy are more similar to each other, by contrasting them against other genres. In other words, I asked for another twenty principles that either 1) hold true for both litRPG and epic fantasy, but not other genres, or 2) do not hold true for litRPG or epic fantasy, but do hold true for other genres. This was what the AI came up with.
What do you think? Do you agree with the list, or do you think the AI doesn’t know what it’s talking about? I mean, of course the AI doesn’t know what it’s talking about—it’s a pattern-matching stochastic parrot incapable of actual thought—but does the list itself hold true, or not? I’m interested to hear what you think!
✅ Ten Principles That Work in Both Epic Fantasy and LitRPG (but not as well elsewhere)
1. The Long Form Is an Asset
- Epic Fantasy: Readers expect doorstoppers; sprawling stories add gravitas.
- LitRPG: Readers binge long series to follow progression.
- Other genres: Overly long novels (romance, thrillers) often feel padded or indulgent.
2. Worldbuilding as a Core Pleasure
- Epic Fantasy: Intricate maps, languages, and histories enrich immersion.
- LitRPG: Detailed mechanics, systems, and economies are part of the appeal.
- Other genres: Too much worldbuilding bogs down the story (e.g., in mystery or romance).
3. Reader Dedication Is Assumed
- Epic Fantasy: Readers accept investment to reap the mythic payoff.
- LitRPG: Readers accept grindy arcs to enjoy progression.
- Other genres: Casual readers often want quick satisfaction.
4. Hero’s Journey as Central Skeleton
- Epic Fantasy: Growth from obscurity to legend is the core arc.
- LitRPG: Growth from level 1 to overpowered is the core arc.
- Other genres: Often resist the monomyth (slice-of-life, literary realism, etc.).
5. Community/Ensemble Casts
- Epic Fantasy: Multiple POVs enrich the tapestry.
- LitRPG: Party dynamics (tank, healer, mage) reflect RPG roots.
- Other genres: Large casts risk confusing readers who want intimacy.
6. Spectacle as Payoff
- Epic Fantasy: Climactic battles or magical revelations awe readers.
- LitRPG: Dungeon raids and boss fights provide thrill.
- Other genres: Spectacle without intimacy or brevity (like in romance) falls flat.
7. Maps and Charts Enhance the Experience
- Epic Fantasy: Maps show kingdoms, trade routes, and lost ruins.
- LitRPG: Stat sheets, skill trees, and quest logs scratch the gamer itch.
- Other genres: Appendices and diagrams often feel extraneous.
8. Bingeability
- Epic Fantasy: Readers want to sink in for weeks.
- LitRPG: Readers tear through serialized arcs like binge-gaming sessions.
- Other genres: Shorter, self-contained experiences dominate (rom-coms, thrillers).
9. Immersion Requires Internal Consistency
- Epic Fantasy: Magic systems, politics, and cultures must feel internally real.
- LitRPG: Mechanics and progression must follow consistent rules.
- Other genres: Small cheats or contrivances are forgiven more easily.
10. The Fantasy of Escape Into Another Life
- Epic Fantasy: Readers escape into a mythic, larger-than-life destiny.
- LitRPG: Readers escape into a game avatar, empowered and free.
- Other genres: Escapism is more muted—characters often mirror real-world constraints.
❌ Ten Principles That Work in Other Genres But Not in Epic Fantasy or LitRPG
11. Economy of Length
- Epic Fantasy: Truncated stories feel shallow.
- LitRPG: Short books cut off progression.
- Other genres: Brevity (novellas, short novels) often thrives in romance, literary fiction, thrillers.
12. Standalone Closure
- Epic Fantasy: Readers expect series and arcs across volumes.
- LitRPG: Readers expect sequels and continuous leveling.
- Other genres: Standalone novels dominate many markets (romance, crime).
13. Minimal World Detail
- Epic Fantasy: Sparse settings break immersion.
- LitRPG: Thin systems or game mechanics disappoint.
- Other genres: Often better to focus tightly on character or conflict.
14. Immediate, High-Speed Pacing
- Epic Fantasy: Readers accept gradual build-up.
- LitRPG: Readers accept grind loops before climax.
- Other genres: Quick, relentless pacing (thrillers) is a selling point.
15. Subtlety Over Spectacle
- Epic Fantasy: Readers want grandeur, not quiet minimalism.
- LitRPG: Readers want flashy abilities, loot drops, boss fights.
- Other genres: Subtle slice-of-life or understated literary fiction works well.
16. Ambiguous Endings
- Epic Fantasy: Readers want resolution—wars won, empires reshaped.
- LitRPG: Readers want progression arcs to complete.
- Other genres: Literary realism thrives on ambiguity.
17. Everyday Banality
- Epic Fantasy: Mundane routine (work, school, dishes) feels like filler.
- LitRPG: Grinding without purpose or progress feels like padding.
- Other genres: Slice-of-life, contemporary drama thrive on the ordinary.
18. Romance as the Core Engine
- Epic Fantasy: Love enriches but rarely drives the whole tapestry.
- LitRPG: Love plots are secondary to leveling and quests.
- Other genres: Romance is often the primary driver.
19. Prose Minimalism
- Epic Fantasy: Readers want at least some richness, tone, and weight.
- LitRPG: Readers want clarity and detail in mechanics, not Hemingway sparsity.
- Other genres: Minimalist prose shines in lit fic or thrillers.
20. Compressed Timelines
- Epic Fantasy: Readers want generations, years, or at least a long journey.
- LitRPG: Readers want long campaigns and layered arcs.
- Other genres: Stories that span a weekend or a single evening work beautifully in mystery, romance, lit fic.
⚖️ Big Takeaway
- Shared Strengths (1–10): Both genres embrace immersion, scope, detail, and reader investment. They reward readers who want to live in another world for a long time.
- Shared Weaknesses (11–20): Neither does well with brevity, minimalism, ambiguity, or everyday mundanity. Those principles thrive in other fiction but undermine the immersive, long-game experience of epic fantasy and LitRPG.
