Wizards of the Coast

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Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) was founded in 1990 . The company is a publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, they popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s.

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[edit] History

The idea of forming Wizards of the Coast began in 1979 when friends Peter Adkison, Terry Campbell, Darrell Judd, and Ken McGlothlen talked about starting a game publishing company. Although a company was not formed at the time, the group used the moniker informally for producing amateur games and supplements. From 1982 to 1990, the name and early logo were used by Adkison to produce a campaign newletter and symbolize the growing gaming group.

In April of 1990, after several years of post-college work, Adkison and friend Ken McGlothlen began discussing the formation of a company. For several months, Adkison and his close circle of friend worked on creating a corporate structure, developing product ideas, securing funding, and promoting the new company.

In late 1991, Adkison met with Mike Davis and Richard Garfield, who approached the company to product Garfield's Robo Rally board game. At the time, Adkison expressed concern that the new company couldn't afford to do the game in the near future. At a later meeting, Garfield offered to design another game for Adkison. Adkison told him that he wated a game that used playing cards that would go over well at conventions, when the attendees were waiting in line or sitting in lobbies. The next week, Garfield described to Adkison the basic format of what would become Magic: The Gathering.

During this time, the primary focus of the company was the publication of The Primal Order, which was released in 1992. The role-playing game was focused on diety-level characters and campaign resources. It was called a "capsystem" because it was meant to be used to provide a framework for playing the characters in other game systems. The appendices provided integration notes for about 20 different systems. In June, the company was sued by RPG publisher Palladium for copyright violations, stating that The Primal Order referencing their gaming system without permission.

As a legal shelter from the suit, Peter Adkison proposed setting up a new corporation, Garfield Games, which would develop Magic and license the production and sales rights to Wizards of the Coast. The Palladium suit was settled in April 1993 for unspecified terms.

In August of 1993, Magic: The Gathering was released after nearly two years of development. Later that year, Garfield Games was absorbed into Wizards of the Coast in a stock swap.

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In November 2005, Wizards of the Coast will move its operations and 354 employees from its current office at 1801 Lind Ave. S.W. (in Renton, Washington) across the street to 1600 Lind Ave. S.W., into building known as The Landmark.

[edit] Products

[edit] Collectible card games

[edit] Board games

  • RoboRally

[edit] Role-playing games

  • Dungeons & Dragons
  • Star Wars RPG

Wizards of the Coast drafted the Open Game License used by Open Gaming Foundation and the d20 system.

[edit] Books

Wizards of the Coast also publishes many fantasy novel series based on its other game products. Some of these are now out-of-print.

[edit] Notable employees

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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