The Death and Rebirth of Judges Guild
by Michael Thompson
Judges Guild is one of the oldest RPG companies in the industry, and was the first to produce supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons game. At its peak, the company had more than 250 products in production. Sadly, the company faced dramatic complications in the ’80s that all but destroyed it. Today, however, the company is growing again. Bob Bledsaw, founder of Judges Guild, and James Mishler came to Gen Con to share their experiences.
In the early 1980s, the country’s economy was in a downturn. Many people were losing their jobs, and numerous companies were going out of business. The gaming industry was not immune to financial problems, and smaller ventures and hobby shops closed as well. Judges Guild tried to maintain its status as a competitor, but circumstances would not allow for that.
Bob admits to a number of business errors, business disasters and personal problems that led to the end of Judges Guild. He had extended credit to a number of hobby stores that never paid. A Canadian-based company purchased about $100,000 in product over three orders but failed to pay most of the cost. Internal conflicts caused strife and led to some employees stealing data from the company. At the same time, Bob’s family life became extremely difficult: His mother passed away from cancer, his wife suffered from mental illness, and ultimately the couple separated and divorced. Bob also began suffering depression from the immense stress these situations created.
An unscrupulous accounting firm also charged Judges Guild for services that were never performed and for services they were not supposed to perform. The IRS began hounding the company for back taxes they allegedly owed (eventually they were found in error). With these financial problems and the poor economy, Bob was forced to sell the Judges Guild office building. This truly led to the end for the company. Further adding to the downfall, distributors holding Judges Guild’s inventory (worth in excess of $1 million) lost his files and merchandise; some was destroyed in a warehouse fire, while other items simply disappeared. This was too much for Bob, and so he ended Judges Guild.
Fortunately, this was not the end of the story. James Mishler contacted Bob in 1999 regarding the old Judges Guild product line and asked about the prospects for a re-release. With the emergence of 3rd edition D&D and the Open Gaming License, Mishler helped Judges Guild form a partnership with Necromancer Games to bring the City State of the Invincible Overlord and the Wilderlands of High Fantasy back to the market. Necromancer Games also published a Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands and the Judges Guild adventure Caverns of Thracia.
Tegel Manor will be the last product published in the Necromancer Games/Judges Guild partnership. In 2007, Adventure Games Publishing will release Wilderlands of High Adventure under license from Judges Guild and Troll Lord Games. This time, the Wilderlands will be revised and expanded under the Castles & Crusades rules system. Numerous expansions are planned. Bob is also working on two additional Wilderlands’ products: City State of the Sea Lords, which is mostly complete, and City State of the Mages, which is being developed.
Judges Guild is an important and integral part of the history of the RPG industry, and despite its near death in the ’80s, the future is looking bright. We at Silven thank Bob Bledsaw for his contributions to gaming and wish him great fortune in the years ahead.