Wizards of the Coast
History
Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and is a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.. It was founded by Peter Adkison in 1990 in his basement in Seattle, Washington, and its headquarters are still in nearby Renton. Originally, the company only created role-playing games such as the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. However, it has expanded into the collectible card game market with Magic: The Gathering, the miniature wargame market with Duel Masters, and the board game market with games such as Betrayal at House on the Hill.
Role-playing Games
Wizards of the Coast's rise to game industry prominence is closely tied to its flagship product, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). D&D is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). In 1997, Wizards acquired TSR and with it, the rights to D&D. Under the stewardship of Wizards, D&D has grown and evolved, with multiple new editions and supplements being released to enhance and expand the game.
Wizards also developed the d20 System, a role-playing game system used in the third and 3.5 editions of Dungeons & Dragons. The d20 System is named after the 20-sided dice which are central to the core mechanics of many actions in the game. Wizards released the d20 System into the public domain under the Open Game License (OGL) in 2000, which has led to a proliferation of d20-based games.
Collectible Card Games
Wizards of the Coast is perhaps best known for Magic: The Gathering, a collectible card game (CCG) designed by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993. Magic was the first game of its kind, and it set the standard for collectible card games. Magic's success spawned an entire industry of similar games.
Wizards has also published other collectible card games, including Pokémon Trading Card Game and Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, under license from their respective owners. These games, while not as influential as Magic, have nonetheless been commercially successful and have contributed to the growth and visibility of the CCG genre.
Board Games
In addition to role-playing games and collectible card games, Wizards of the Coast has also ventured into the board game market. They have published a number of board games, including Risk 2210 A.D., Axis & Allies, and RoboRally. These games have been well received and have added to the company's reputation for producing high-quality games.
Impact and Influence
Wizards of the Coast has had a profound impact on the gaming industry. Their products, particularly Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, have not only been commercially successful, but have also influenced the design and development of many other games. Wizards' decision to release the d20 System under the OGL has also had a significant impact, leading to a wave of third-party d20-based games.