The Wizards of the Coast reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is a publisher of games based on fantasy and science fiction themes. They invented the collectible card game genre with , which reached the height of its popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Wizards of the Coast owns a number of popular game brands. Some of these are:

• Dungeons & Dragons
• RoboRally
• Netrunner
• Star Wars RPG

Wizards of the Coast also publish many popular fantasy novel series (though some are now defunct). These include:

• Birthright
• Dark Sun
• Dragonlance
• Forgotten Realms
• Greyhawk
• Legend of the Five Rings
• Mystara
• Planescape
• Ravenloft
• Spelljammer

Wizards of the Coast was founded by Peter D. Adkison in 1990 just outside Seattle, Washington. Their headquarters is still in nearby Renton. At Gen Con in August 1993, the company debuted Richard Garfield's Magic: The Gathering. The success of Magic generated revenue that virtually carried the company out of the basement. In 1997, they bought the cash-strapped makers of Dungeons & Dragons, TSR. The game and toy giant Hasbro bought Wizards of the Coast in September 1999.

External Links

• Wizards of the Coast's official site

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