Entertainment • Role-playing games

Game master

A game master is the person who runs a tabletop role-playing game session, organizing the fictional setting, adjudicating rules, and guiding the story.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

A game master is the person who runs a tabletop role-playing game session, organizing the fictional setting, adjudicating rules, and guiding the story. The role is also commonly called a dungeon master in some games, especially Dungeons & Dragons, and is often described as combining narrator, referee, and facilitator functions.

Role in play

The game master oversees the session’s fictional world and is responsible for the setting, non-player characters, and the flow of events. Sources describe the role as central to the structure of tabletop role-playing games.

Rules and adjudication

A core function of the game master is to act as referee, interpreting and applying rules when questions or disputes arise. Some sources also describe the role as allowing house rulings or rule interpretation as needed.

Narrative and facilitation

Beyond rules, the game master presents the story, describes scenes, and helps guide players through the game. This makes the role both narrative and organizational rather than purely adversarial.

Terminology

French sources use maître du jeu, meneur de jeu, and the abbreviation MJ. In English-language contexts, the equivalent role may be called game master or dungeon master depending on the system.

Key facts

The game master is responsible for the fictional environment in a tabletop role-playing game.
The role includes describing scenes, managing non-player characters, and keeping the game coherent.
The game master interprets and applies rules during play.
The term dungeon master is used in some games, notably Dungeons & Dragons.
French-language equivalents include meneur de jeu and maître du jeu.

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Canadian context

Tabletop role-playing games, including those using a game master, have an established hobby and convention scene in Canada, and the English and French terminology is relevant in bilingual Canadian contexts.

Frequently asked questions

What does a game master do?

They run the session by describing the setting, portraying non-player characters, and deciding how rules are applied during play.

Is a game master a player?

Yes. In tabletop role-playing, the game master is usually one of the participants, but with different responsibilities from the other players.

What is the French term for game master?

Common French terms include maître du jeu and meneur de jeu, often abbreviated MJ.

Is a game master the same as a dungeon master?

They are functionally equivalent terms in some games; dungeon master is especially associated with Dungeons & Dragons.

Does a game master prepare the game in advance?

Often yes. Many sources describe the role as preparing scenarios, encounters, or the broad structure of the adventure before play.

References

Wikipédia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitre_de_jeu
Supports: Defines maître de jeu / meneur de jeu and describes the role as storyteller, referee, and organizer.
Wiktionnaire — https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/ma%C3%AEtre_de_jeu
Supports: Defines maître de jeu in tabletop role-playing games and notes related terminology.
jeuxderole.com — https://www.jeuxderole.com/maitre-du-jeu/
Supports: Explains the game master as narrator, arbiter, and guide, and mentions dungeon master usage.
jeuxderole.org — https://jeuxderole.org/maitre-de-jeu
Supports: Describes the game master’s responsibility for story, environment, NPCs, rules, and player interaction.
Passion Ludique — https://www.passionludique.fr/term/ma%C3%AEtre-du-jeu-(mdj)
Supports: Describes the game master as supervising a role-playing session, describing the world, and preparing scenarios.