The tabletop role playing game Dungeons & Dragons was first published in 1974.

5 decades later, there’s a new ‘edition’ of the game out, and D&D has changed dramatically from its origins in a little house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The anniversary is happening at a delicate time for the company, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro. Arguably the first modern tabletop role playing game is, today, fighting for market share – squaring off against a horde of fierce competitors seeking to lure players away to different adventures.

So what’s the Renton-based publisher doing to remain on top?  

Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is our resident “dungeon master” here at Soundside. He spent 2024 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the game at events around the country.

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Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINKS: 

• Dungeons & Dragons turns 50 this year. Here’s what the game has meant to you - NPR

• Dungeons & Dragons' New Core Rulebooks Want to Show, Not Tell - IGN

GUESTS: 

• Chris Perkins - Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast
• Ginny Di - YouTube D&D Creator

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