Discover the colorful history of the table-top RPG phenomenon,
Dungeons & Dragons
, as a
D&D
expert examines its surprising successes, setbacks, and controversies.
“The battle over
was the ultimate geek war.” —
Wired
When
was first released to a small hobby community, it hardly seemed destined for mainstream success—and yet this arcane tabletop role-playing game became an unlikely pop culture phenomenon. In
Game Wizards
, Jon Peterson chronicles the rise of Dungeons & Dragons from hobbyist pastime to mass market sensation, from the initial collaboration to the later feud of its creators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Inside you’ll learn about:
• Gygax and Arneson’s first meeting and their work toward the 1974 release
• The founding of TSR and its growth as a company
• Arneson’s acrimonious departure and subsequent challenges to TSR
• "Satanic Panic" accusations that plagued D&D—and boosted its popularity
• TSR’s reckless expansion and near-fatal corporate infighting
• And much more!
With
, Peterson restores historical particulars long obscured by competing narratives spun by the one-time partners. That record amply demonstrates how the turbulent experience of creating something as momentous as
can make people remember things a bit differently from the way they actually happened.