Last updated on July 24, 2024 – 10:50 AM
A new podcast charts the rise and fall of E. Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of TSR Hobbies, the company that produced the game.
When We Were Wizards tells us how success can have a negative impact on friendships and family, especially when it is marred by greed, lust, and human stupidity.
This year marks the role-playing game's 50th anniversary, but it's still as popular as ever: According to publisher Wizards of the Coast, more than 13 million people currently play the game, and more than 50 million have played it since its release.
Forbes estimated that in 2022, Dungeons & Dragons will generate annual revenue of between $100 million and $150 million.
Many famous people have been fans and influences of the game, including actor Vin Diesel, who said of the game: “Playing D&D was a training ground for our imaginations and an opportunity to explore our own identities.”
“I started acting when I was seven years old, and the game was constant practice for developing voice and character.
“I see it now, but I probably didn't realize it at the time. I was drawn to the artistic expression the game offered. My D&D journey paralleled my search for identity while growing up.”
The 14-episode series, When We Were Wizards, is told through the voices of those who were there, from Gary's basement in the early '60s to the boardroom coup that got Gary kicked out of the company in 1985. It's a story of unique subculture, American culture, corporate turmoil, history, cautionary tales and human drama.
The podcast features interviews with over 30 people, including Gary's ex-wife, two children, employees, friends and partners, many of whom are telling their stories for the first time.
The commonly accepted history of Dungeons & Dragons is based on the stories told by Gary himself, but the podcast goes beyond that to tell a more complete story and challenge the assumption that the characters Gary demonized are ultimately humanized and redeemed.
“When We Were Wizards” is available on all podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.
