Wizards of the Coast is making the origin of Dungeons & Dragons accessible to all through its upcoming publication The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons. This book will showcase unpublished documents from the 1970s, giving a one-of-a-kind look into the origin of the TTRPG that changed the industry.
The book specifically pulls its information from the years 1970 – 1977. It dives into detail about what inspired D&D, encompassing the roleplaying games Blackmoor and Chainmail which served as launching points. Readers will get to experience Gary Gygax’s early thoughts and ideas through documents that show the first concepts of what a character sheet could be, stats that would become essential to the game, and all the earliest rules and supplements as they evolve and change across the first years of publication.
Ignoring the controversies surrounding Gygax, there is little doubt that Dungeons & Dragons was an innovation that has only gotten better over time. The fifth edition of the game is what truly cemented it into modern culture and expanded the industry as a whole. This is in large part thanks to streaming services where groups like Critical Role could play live on Twitch and introduce more people to 5E. None of that would have been possible without the rough beginnings. Today the TTRPG industry has grown, with the help of digital platforms and livestreams, with major brands like Paizo, Free League Publishing, and Modiphius Entertainment. If players want to enjoy some roleplay escapism, there is plenty to choose from because of D&D. Games like Pathfinder and Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and Dragonbane all owe their beginnings to ideas that sprouted in the 1970s.
The book The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons will be available for purchase on June 18, 2024 for a surprising $100. It is marketed as a specialty collector’s item, with high quality materials and ribbon bookmarks.
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