Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The game, which began in a basement, has evolved into a global phenomenon with an empire worth $150 million.
The game was conceived by friends at the heart of Wisconsin’s gaming community. It was in February 1973, in a cellar beneath a nondescript house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, that something happened that would change the world of gaming, culture, and entertainment forever. The cellar sits beneath 330 Center Street, the one-time home of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax.
The first edition of Dungeons & Dragons was launched in early 1974. It came in a brown wood-grain box containing three slim rulebooks. The project was modest and homespun at the beginning. In the early days at 330 Center Street, games were assembled and many adventures were tested.
This year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary, Wizards of the Coast is publishing a range of nostalgic half-century celebrations. These include two new campaigns based on classic D&D adventures from the 70s and 80s, Vecna: Eve of Ruin and Quests from the Infinite Staircase. There’s also a 500-page tome entitled The Making of Original D&D: 1970-1977, which reprints the original manuscript of D&D, complete with handwritten annotations.
The game was conceived by friends at the heart of Wisconsin’s gaming community and has evolved to become a global phenomenon. From a basement to a global empire, the journey of Dungeons & Dragons over the past 50 years is truly remarkable.
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