{"product_id":"game-wizards-isbn-9780262542951","title":"Game Wizards","description":"\u003cb\u003eDiscover the colorful history of the table-top RPG phenomenon, \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e, as a \u003ci\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/i\u003e expert examines its surprising successes, setbacks, and controversies.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“The battle over \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e was the ultimate geek war.” —\u003ci\u003eWired\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e was first released to a small hobby community, it hardly seemed destined for mainstream success—and yet this arcane tabletop role-playing game became an unlikely pop culture phenomenon. In \u003ci\u003eGame Wizards\u003c\/i\u003e, Jon Peterson chronicles the rise of Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons from hobbyist pastime to mass market sensation, from the initial collaboration to the later feud of its creators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Inside you’ll learn about:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Gygax and Arneson’s first meeting and their work toward the 1974 release\u003cbr\u003e• The founding of TSR and its growth as a company\u003cbr\u003e• Arneson’s acrimonious departure and subsequent challenges to TSR\u003cbr\u003e• \"Satanic Panic\" accusations that plagued D\u0026amp;D—and boosted its popularity\u003cbr\u003e• TSR’s reckless expansion and near-fatal corporate infighting\u003cbr\u003e• And much more!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith \u003ci\u003eGame Wizards\u003c\/i\u003e, Peterson restores historical particulars long obscured by competing narratives spun by the one-time partners. That record amply demonstrates how the turbulent experience of creating something as momentous as \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e can make people remember things a bit differently from the way they actually happened.Series Foreword ix\u003cbr\u003e Preface xi\u003cbr\u003e I From a Club to a Company\u003cbr\u003e Opening Moves 5\u003cbr\u003e Gygax and Arneson 15\u003cbr\u003e The $300 Idea 33\u003cbr\u003e II Adventurers in Business\u003cbr\u003e 1975: Sage Street, Goodbye 55\u003cbr\u003e 1976: Stab 79\u003cbr\u003e 1977: The Great War 103\u003cbr\u003e 1978: Stolen Glory 125\u003cbr\u003e III The Everfull Purse\u003cbr\u003e 1979: Treasure in the Steam Tunnels 151\u003cbr\u003e 1980: The Spotlight 175\u003cbr\u003e 1981: Identity Crisis 199\u003cbr\u003e 1982: Extravagance 223\u003cbr\u003e IV Disjunction\u003cbr\u003e 1983: Splitting the Party 251\u003cbr\u003e 1984: Cursed 273\u003cbr\u003e 1985: The Ambush at Sheridan Springs 289\u003cbr\u003e Epilogue: Endgame 313\u003cbr\u003e Sources and Acknowledgments 319\u003cbr\u003e Index 353\"The battle Over Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons was the ultimate geek war.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWired\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"In \u003ci\u003eGame Wizards: The Epic Battle for Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragon\u003c\/i\u003es, historian Jon Peterson hopes to lay to rest the rumors and speculation that have plagued the early history of D\u0026amp;D. At the center of this new book is the feud between co-creators Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax. His work relies on a treasure trove of firsthand interviews and primary documentation, as well as remnants from the lost archives of D\u0026amp;D’s original publisher, TSR.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003cb\u003ePolygon\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A deep dive into a significant controversy in the gaming world: who deserves credit for the meteoric rise of Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons and blame for the subsequent avalanche of public spats, lawsuits, and business bungling...A good dungeon crawl... treasures abound for experienced adventurers.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e 'Jon Peterson’s “Game Wizards” is  an in-depth history – and I really do mean in-depth – of the creation of  Dungeons and Dragons and in particular the ugly struggle for control of  TSR. It’s vivid and incredibly well-researched, although this  particular niche is… well, it’s very niche.' \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eTim Harford\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A lively and readable history of the game, its first owners, and their fumbling attempts to run a business.\" \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—ZDNet\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eGame Wizards\u003c\/i\u003e makes  a fascinating reading. We have never, ever seen such a level of detail  and documentation regarding the inner workings of TSR down to board  meetings and executives' plans and ideas. The book shines a  really strong light on the 'secret history' of the company\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eDungeon Master Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Jon is the great gaming librarian, the dramaturg of \u003ci\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/i\u003e. He is always my first call when I’m researching anything related to the history of tabletop gaming. If he doesn’t know, most likely no one else does, and this book is no exception. With it, Jon sets straight the ‘canon’ of the tragic history of how \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e and TSR were ripped from the very grasp of the man who dreamed them up.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eJoe Manganiello, actor, producer, \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e ambassador, and writer\/game designer for Wizards of the Coast\/Hasbro\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Like an intrepid adventurer, Jon Peterson delves deep into the labyrinth of TSR’s checkered history and the controversies surrounding \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e. His broad knowledge of the subject and impeccable research allow you to share in his discoveries, with a focus on the colorful characters who were swept up in the \u003cu\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/u\u003e phenomenon and transformed by their experiences. Along the way, he uncovers many of the elements that led to the company’s demise, including nepotism, hubris, poor management decisions, and unfulfilled promises. It’s a compelling story.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMike Carr, TSR game designer, editor, writer, and executive (1976–1983)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“I thought I knew well the story of the meteoric rise of \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cu\u003es\u003c\/u\u003e. Jon Peterson proves me half wrong as he reveals the labyrinth beneath the castle that Gygax and Arneson built. This book is the essential history of the personal perils, business pitfalls, and legal combats risked in the creation of the world’s first roleplaying game.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eSam Witwer, actor, Dungeon Master, part-time Sith\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“While we were busy exploring the \u003ci\u003eTomb of Horrors\u003c\/i\u003e in the 1980s, little did we know that the creators of \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e were on a real-world adventure of their own—filled with tricks, traps, treasure hoards, and illusions—that nearly resulted in the dreaded Total Party Kill. \u003ci\u003eGame Wizard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cu\u003es\u003c\/u\u003e is a gripping read and the definitive account of their quest.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eRay Winninger, Executive Producer of \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cu\u003es\u003c\/u\u003e\u003ci\u003e,\u003c\/i\u003e Wizards of the Coast \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Every great empire needs a legendary historian. For \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cu\u003es\u003c\/u\u003e, the foremost authority is unquestionably and without a doubt Jon Peterson. After tireless research and interviews, Jon now brings us the most harrowing quest ever to happen in \u003ci\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/i\u003e—and it’s anything but fantasy. Jon meticulously documents the true story of the triumphant rise of the timeless tabletop game, and its even more utterly fascinating and heartbreakingly dramatic demise. This real life saga will be a page turner for hardcore tabletop gamers, but the mind-blowing events that Jon documents will absolutely captivate any reader.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eAdam F. Goldberg, TV showrunner, writer–producer, Half-elf Ranger proficient in bows and short swords\u003c\/b\u003eJon Peterson, a leading expert on \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e and role-playing games, is the author of P\u003ci\u003elaying at the World\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons Art \u0026amp; Arcana\u003c\/i\u003e (a Hugo Award finalist), the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller \u003ci\u003eHeroes' Feast\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Elusive Shift: How Role-Playing Games Forged Their Identity\u003c\/i\u003e (MIT Press).","brand":"The MIT Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301733814501,"sku":"NP9780262542951","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780262542951.jpg?v=1767727855","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/game-wizards-isbn-9780262542951","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}