In the 1990s, there were big changes in technology and culture that helped role-playing games (RPGs) become very popular. Here are some important points to understand:

New Technology:

• The introduction of 32-bit and 64-bit gaming consoles, like the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64, helped create better graphics and more interesting stories.
• CD-ROMs allowed video games to have bigger worlds to explore and better sounds and visuals.

Cultural Changes:

• Tabletop RPGs, such as Dungeons & Dragons, became very popular. They influenced how video games told stories and how players interacted within the game.
• More people started using the internet, which made it possible to play games with others online. A great example is Ultima Online, which came out in 1997 and grew to have over 200,000 players by 1999.

Effect on the Market:

• RPG sales grew a lot during this time. The share of RPGs in the game market increased from 9% in 1990 to 25% by 1999.

All these changes helped create a special RPG culture that mixed storytelling, community, and technology.