Dungeons & Dragons: The Game So Big Its Owner Tried to Cash In
Geek Origins
10,398 views
Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, fifth edition, Critical Role, Stranger Things, Pathfinder and the Open Game License all come together in this deep dive into the modern history of the world's most famous tabletop RPG.
In 2008, three months after Gary Gygax died, a new edition split the D&D fanbase and handed a rival called Pathfinder its opening. By 2014 the game couldn't even make the hobby-store top five. Then fifth edition, a voice actors' home game called Critical Role, and a Netflix show about kids in a basement gave it the best years in its history. And then its owner called it "under monetized," bought D&D Beyond for $146 million, and tried to rewrite the license the whole hobby was built on. The players pushed back, and 22 days later Wizards backed down.
We cover the fourth edition crash, the 175,000-person playtest that built 5e, how Critical Role started as a Pathfinder game, the OGL revolt, Honor Among Thieves and Baldur's Gate 3, the 2024 rules and the fight over the name "5.5e," Universes Beyond, and Gary Gygax's son finishing his father's unfinished Greyhawk notes.
Whether you came in through Critical Role or Stranger Things, or you've been rolling dice since the eighties, this one's for you.
The origin story (Part 1): [LINK]
Pathfinder: How D&D's Biggest Mistake Created Its Only Real Rival: The Game That Invented Every Game You Play
How Magic The Gathering Accidentally Invented an Entire Industry: How Magic The Gathering Accidentally Inven...
#dungeonsanddragons #gamingdocumentary #gaminghistory
10 Comments
So i'd say blaming the timing for the movie not doing as well as it could've is actually a fair asessment, even if one to a self caused problem🤷♂️
Dungeons & Dragons: The Game So Big Its Owner Tried to Cash In
Geek Origins
10,398 views
Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, fifth edition, Critical Role, Stranger Things, Pathfinder and the Open Game License all come together in this deep dive into the modern history of the world's most famous tabletop RPG.
In 2008, three months after Gary Gygax died, a new edition split the D&D fanbase and handed a rival called Pathfinder its opening. By 2014 the game couldn't even make the hobby-store top five. Then fifth edition, a voice actors' home game called Critical Role, and a Netflix show about kids in a basement gave it the best years in its history. And then its owner called it "under monetized," bought D&D Beyond for $146 million, and tried to rewrite the license the whole hobby was built on. The players pushed back, and 22 days later Wizards backed down.
We cover the fourth edition crash, the 175,000-person playtest that built 5e, how Critical Role started as a Pathfinder game, the OGL revolt, Honor Among Thieves and Baldur's Gate 3, the 2024 rules and the fight over the name "5.5e," Universes Beyond, and Gary Gygax's son finishing his father's unfinished Greyhawk notes.
Whether you came in through Critical Role or Stranger Things, or you've been rolling dice since the eighties, this one's for you.
The origin story (Part 1): [LINK]
Pathfinder: How D&D's Biggest Mistake Created Its Only Real Rival: The Game That Invented Every Game You Play
How Magic The Gathering Accidentally Invented an Entire Industry: How Magic The Gathering Accidentally Inven...
#dungeonsanddragons #gamingdocumentary #gaminghistory