Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is a publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, they popularized the collectible card game genre with The Gathering in the mid-1990s. Today they publish board games, collectible card games and role-playing games.

History

Wizards of the Coast was founded by Peter Adkison in 1990 just outside Seattle, Washington, and their headquarters is still in nearby Renton. Originally the company only published role-playing games such as The Primal Order and Talislanta, and later the innovative Everway, which has since been sold to Gaslight Press. However, it made its indelible mark when at Gen Con in August 1993, the company debuted Richard Garfield's Collectible card game The Gathering. The success of Magic generated revenue that carried the company out of the original basement headquarters and into its own offices. Wizards of the Coast holds United States patent number 5662332 on Collectible card games. Wizards of the Coast also published the highly successful Pokémon Trading Card Game for a number of years before Nintendo took back control.

In 1997, they bought the cash-strapped makers of Dungeons & Dragons, TSR. Many of the creative and professional staff of TSR relocated from Wisconsin to the Renton, Washington area, and Wizards re-hired many game designers who had been laid off during the troubled last years of TSR. TSR was used as a brand name for a while, then retired. Wizards of the Coast allowed the TSR trademarks to expire. The game and toy giant Hasbro bought Wizards of the Coast in September 1999.

Wizards of the Coast also ran a chain of gaming retail stores, run under the names "The Game Keeper" and "Wizards of the Coast," for several years. It announced in December 2003 that it would close these stores in order to concentrate on game design. The stores were closed in the spring of 2004.

In early 2006 Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit against self-described fan Daron Rutter. The lawsuit accused Rutter of engaging in copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trade secret violation, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract. The charges stemmed from Rutter publicly posting confidential prototypes for upcoming The Gathering card sets to the MTGSalvation website. Wizards of the Coast attempted to obtain summary judgment. ^*

Web Community

Wizards has one of the most vocal communities. It's members' posts on "magicthegathering.com" sub forum has made Wizards change some of their online employees, contents of articles and even the content of the website. Wizards Community members has the privileges to;

Contribute to "You Make the Card!" project where members create cards of their own that show up in Magic the Gathering sets.
Contribute to "Select Xth Edition" where members present their votes publicly for cards they like to see in Core Sets.

Members run "The Annual Urza's Awards" which is a popularity contest of the forum. Forum moderators also organise "UnCon", Unconventional Convention. Special guests (WotC employees, Artists and Writers) also appear in WotC's "Live Chat'"

Games and products

Board games

Collectible card games

Miniature Games

Role-playing games and supplements

Dungeons & Dragons (acquired in the TSR buyout)
Star Wars Roleplaying Game
d20 system
d20 Modern
Alternity (defunct line, acquired in the TSR buyout)
The Primal Order
Everway
Ars Magica 3rd edition supplements only.
Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game (acquired in the TSR buyout)

Standalone card games

The Great Dalmuti and Corporate Shuffle (the same, only Dilbert-themed)
Guillotine
Alpha Blitz

Wizards of the Coast drafted the Open Game License used by Open Gaming Foundation and the d20 system.

Fantasy novel series

Wizards of the Coast also publishes many fantasy novel series based on its other game products. Some of these are now out-of-print.

External links

Wizards of the Coast's official site
Publication list on Pen & Paper
Death to the Minotaur (part one & part two) by John Tynes, published by Salon.com

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