Dungeons, dragons, and decades-long past have finally accumulated into half a century filled with adventures and mysteries unknown. What can we do as players of this game other than celebrate?
Well, it seems like Wizards of the Coast have had ample time on their hands to plan. They are creating a year filled with surprises and we can’t wait to dive in. From LEGO sets to good berry-filled Pop-Tart, you won’t be able to escape the clutches of this celebration!
When Did Dungeons and Dragons Begin?
Back in one of the most mysterious times of human history (the 70s), two close friends began what would forever change the miniature terrain game. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson are literal Game Masters, creating what we know as Dungeons and Dragons in 1973. This original game manuscript contained only 50 pages. It stemmed from their other, less popular creations, Chainmail and Blackmoor.
To be able to get the book on the retail market, Gary Gygax created TSR. Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. would be part of the humble beginnings of D&D, seeing alot of success over that first decade.
Superheroes & Sorcery
After newfound world-wild success with their rule book, Gyagax and Arneson worked with Marvel. From 1983 to 1985 they helped collaborate with the also blooming company that we are all too familiar with today.
With co-production with Toei Animation, animators for shows such as One Piece and Dragon Ball Z, helped create the Dungeons and Dragons TV Series. The series lasted for three years, with a total of 27 episodes being created and released.
The show follows a group of children (between the ages of 9-15) who find themselves transported to the realm of Dungeons and Dragons. How did they get trapped there you might ask? Well of course it was after riding a magical rollercoaster! They then try and find their way home throughout the three seasons, using friendship and magical weapons to defeat evil.
Get our Minimalist Character Sheets for FREE when you join the Official Knight’s Digest Discord
Woes and Wizards
In the ’80s and ’90s, there seemed to be multiple problems going on with the Dungeons and Dragons community. The game still had success in the 80s, but with the great scare that happened, alot of parents were weary to let their children play in this fantasy-based game. There was even a movie based on the fear of the people, including critically acclaimed actor Tom Hanks.
Under the name Mazes and Monsters (1982), it was a made-for-TV film. Tom Hanks (or as I would call him in one of my games, Tome Hanks) plays a college student who is obsessed with a game VERY similar to that of Dungeons and Dragons. Soon the game blurs with reality, Tome Hanks goes too deep into the fantasy world he has built. This of course all but helped feed the flames of what Gygax referred to as “a witch hunt”. I also did want to mention how awesome the poster was for Mazes and Monsters though. Fits the 80s aesthetic and reminds me of the old D&D posters in its way!
The ’90s
Now heading into the 90s, when Gary Gyax was removed from TSR. There are many speculations surrounding this, with not too many answers. A lot of failed friendships, shareholder issues, and business decisions led to this (but this is a story for another article). In the late 90’s there was a string of bad business decisions, making it seem like Dungeons and Dragons might have been going out of business.
This is where the Wizards of the Coast come into play. In 1997 they decided to buy out TSR, saving the company from complete annihilation. After being aquired they quickly were able to publish new and exciting material to the realms of D&D. One of the most important things they did with the company was giving the third edition an Open Gaming License (OGL). This meant that anyone could make new worlds and adventures using the D&D rules. We got popular tools like Pathfinder and Starfinder due to the OGL.
D&D 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
So what exactly do Wizards of the Coast have planned to celebrate half a century’s worth of adventuring? One thing that everyone in the D&D community can get right now is a free celebratory exclusive wallpaper from their website (found here)!
That of course is not all, there will be a plethora of conventions going on in 2024. Something I am particularly excited about will be the new Dungeons and Dragons book releases coming out. The long-awaited 2024 Players Handbook, 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide, and 2025 Monster Manual will be out soon semi-soon. While they do not come out at the same time we are getting three other books as well this year!
- Vecna: Eve of Ruin (May 21st, 2024)
- The Making of the Original Dungeons and Dragons: 1970-1977 (June 18th, 2024)
- Quests from the Infinite Staircase (June 16th, 2024)
- 2024 Players Handbook (September 17th, 2024)
- 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide (November 12th, 2024)
- 2025 Monster Manua (February 18th, 2025)
Next up on the itinerary will be the collaborations coming out this year. We have a pretty solid lineup with a collaboration with Converse, LEGO, and Pop-Tarts. Converse will release their D&D line up starting April 11th (here). Pop-Tarts is rumored to be coming out with what people are guessing will be goodbery flavored treats!
Finally, I wanted to mention the LEGO collaboration (here). They recently released the final version of LEGOxD&D creation, produced from LEGO’s idea builds from fans. The final breakdown will be 3745 pieces and a whopping $259.99 price tag. You can read more about it here where we mention and guess what might have been coming out, along with the original design! Brick By Brick: Exciting D&D and LEGO Collaboration
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
We send a monthly email with subscriber only perks, updates about the website, and other stuff thats happened lately!
Sources:
-Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). File:D&d Box1st.jpg – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D%26d_Box1st.j
Leave a Reply