D&D General WotC Has Owned D&D Longer Than TSR Did

As Matt Forbeck pointed out on Twitter, WotC has owned D&D for 24 years since it purchased TSR in 1997. TSR created D&D in 1974, 23 years before WotC bought it.

 

[Marc_C]

One cookie. I think it was his first published game.

He published 'Melee' and 'Wizards' arena combat games first. After that it became the Fantasy Trip RPG.

 

[Marc_C]

Congratulations! D&D is back at the top of the list and is played by more people than ever before. Well done!

 

[Garmorn]

I always considered them part of Fantasy trip like the players hand book and monster manual was to the DM guild.

The only thing a do not understand is the need of a few people to change D&D into a different system. "Lets get rid of all of the basic rules and make a better game." Why don't they just go and play the other ones. I have played several different ones and will be getting back into Role Master now that I can find people to play it online.

 

[Marc_C]

I always considered them part of Fantasy trip like the players hand book and monster manual was to the DM guild.

The only thing a do not understand is the need of a few people to change D&D into a different system. "Lets get rid of all of the basic rules and make a better game." Why don't they just go and play the other ones. I have played several different ones and will be getting back into Role Master now that I can find people to play it online.

I played them as arena games in the early 80s. Never played Fantasy Trip. Only D&D was on the shelves of the local hobby store.

Very good question! I play Fantasy AGE now instead of D&D. Suites my needs better.

 

[darjr]

I think Ogre was Steve Jackson’s first game.

 

[jayoungr]

Isn't this cause for celebration?

 

[billd91]

Isn't this cause for celebration?

Maybe? We certainly could celebrate that D&D continues on as strong as ever (maybe even stronger) when it could have been tied up in litigation for years due to TSR's demise.
It's also worth reflecting on just how time passes and how that affects our perceptions of things - for example, most gamers these days are probably too young to have had any meaningful connection with TSR. Either they weren't born yet or really too young to have been aware of them.

 

[Marc_C]

I think Ogre was Steve Jackson’s first game.

I just checked wiki. That is correct.

 

[Marc_C]

Maybe? We certainly could celebrate that D&D continues on as strong as ever (maybe even stronger) when it could have been tied up in litigation for years due to TSR's demise.
It's also worth reflecting on just how time passes and how that affects our perceptions of things - for example, most gamers these days are probably too young to have had any meaningful connection with TSR. Either they weren't born yet or really too young to have been aware of them.

Players of the 70s-90s had children. They most assuredly played D&D Basic and AD&D with them. It was probably their first D&D game ever. Do these children, now old enough to have their own children, play TSR editions with them? Unlikely. Well, maybe an occasional game to please grandpa.

 

[billd91]

Players of the 70s-90s had children. They most assuredly played D&D Basic and AD&D with them. It was probably their first D&D game ever. Do these children, now old enough to have their own children, play TSR editions with them? Unlikely. Well, maybe an occasional game to please grandpa.

It's also entirely possible kids played Scrabble with their parents' copy of Scrabble as published by Selchow and Righter... and probably have little to no awareness of Selchow and Righter.