A Very Brief History of Dungeons & Dragons

The game of Dungeons and Dragons has a rich and storied history that stretches back over 45 years. It has undergone numerous changes and evolutions over the years, but at its core, it has always been a game about collaborative storytelling and imagination.

The origins of Dungeons and Dragons can be traced back to the late 1960s, when a man named Gary Gygax and his friends began to play a medieval-themed wargame called Chainmail. In the game, players took on the roles of knights, wizards, and other fantasy creatures and fought epic battles against each other.

Gygax and his friends quickly became enamored with the idea of role-playing, and in 1972, they published the first edition of a new game called Dungeons and Dragons. The game was heavily influenced by sword and sorcery novels and was designed to be played with just a handful of dice, a few rulebooks, and the players’ imaginations.

Over the next few years, Dungeons and Dragons quickly gained a devoted following, and in 1977, the game’s publisher, TSR, released a new, expanded version of the game called Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. This version introduced new rules and added more depth and complexity to the game, and it remains one of the most popular editions of the game to this day.

In the decades that followed, Dungeons and Dragons continued to evolve and grow. New editions of the game were released, new rulebooks were published, and the game found a home on the internet, where players could connect with each other from all over the world.

Today, Dungeons and Dragons is played by millions of people around the globe and has inspired countless books, movies, and video games. It remains a beloved and enduring pastime for those who love to use their imagination and tell stories together.

The history of Dungeons and Dragons is a long and storied one, filled with imagination, collaboration, and the joy of storytelling. From its humble beginnings as a medieval wargame to its current status as a global phenomenon, it has captivated the hearts and minds of players for over 45 years.