# Wizards of the Coast

> American publisher of games

**Wikidata**: [Q1135204](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1135204)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizards_of_the_Coast)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wizards-of-the-coast

## Summary

Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games headquartered in Renton, Washington, founded in 1990 by Peter Adkison. The company is best known as the creator of Magic: The Gathering (1993), the world's first collectible card game, and as the current publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, the seminal tabletop role-playing game. Since 1999, Wizards of the Coast has been a subsidiary of Hasbro, the American multinational toy and entertainment company.

## Key Facts

- **Founded:** 1990
- **Founder:** Peter Adkison (American businessman, United States citizen)
- **Headquarters:** Renton, Washington, United States
- **Parent Organization:** Hasbro (acquired in 1999)
- **Predecessor:** TSR (the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons)
- **Industry Classifications:** Video game publisher, game publishing, software
- **Notable Game Designer:** Richard Garfield (creator of Magic: The Gathering)
- **Website:** https://company.wizards.com/en
- **Sitelink Count:** 26 (Wikipedia)
- **Wikidata Description:** American publisher of games

### Major Products

- **Magic: The Gathering** — 1993 collectible card game (inception: August 5, 1993)
- **Dungeons & Dragons** — first fantasy tabletop role-playing game
- **Duel Masters** — franchise based on manga, anime, and trading card game
- **Star Wars Roleplaying Game** — tabletop RPG by Wizards of the Coast
- **Betrayal at House on the Hill** — boardgame
- **RoboRally** — board game
- **Ravenloft** — gothic horror-themed campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons
- **d20 System** — role-playing game system
- **Netrunner** — 1996 collectible card game designed by Richard Garfield
- **Heroscape** — tabletop game
- **Eberron** — fictional world in Dungeons & Dragons
- **Dark Sun** — Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting set in a post-apocalyptic desert world
- **Forgotten Realms** — setting in the Dungeons & Dragons fictional universe (inception: 1967)

### Video Games

- **Magic Duels: Origins** — 2015 video game
- **Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance** — 2021 video game
- **Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers** — 2009 video game
- **Magic: The Gathering Arena** — 2019 video game

### Subsidiaries and Related Companies

- **Archetype Entertainment** — American video game developer founded in April 2019, headquartered in Austin, Texas; subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast
- **TSR** — former company, publisher of Dungeons & Dragons (founded 1973, headquartered in Lake Geneva)

### Licenses and Legal

- **Open Game License v1.0** — public copyright license for tabletop role-playing games (2000)

### Structured Properties

- **P213 (ULLAN):** 0000000096204331
- **P214 (VIAF):** 142058082
- **P244 (LCCN):** n95096104
- **P373 (Commons):** Wizards of the Coast
- **P646 (Freebase):** /m/012pjw
- **P968 (URL):** http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/wizards-of-the-coast-inc-history/
- **P1705 (Label):** Wizards of the Coast
- **P2002 (Twitter):** Wizards, Wizards_Help
- **P2088 (Instagram):** wizards-of-the-coast
- **P3417 (YouTube):** Wizards-of-the-Coast
- **P4264 (Reddit):** wizards-of-the-coast
- **P4773 (Facebook):** wizards-of-the-coast-llc

## FAQs

### What is Wizards of the Coast known for?

Wizards of the Coast is best known for creating Magic: The Gathering in 1993, which pioneered the collectible card game genre and remains one of the most popular trading card games worldwide. The company also owns and publishes Dungeons & Dragons, the original tabletop role-playing game that established the genre in 1974 and was later acquired by Wizards of the Coast when it purchased TSR in 1997.

### Who founded Wizards of the Coast and when?

Wizards of the Coast was founded in 1990 by Peter Adkison, an American businessman and United States citizen. Adkison previously worked in the video game industry and founded the company specifically to publish Magic: The Gathering, which he and game designer Richard Garfield developed together.

### What companies does Wizards of the Coast own?

Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, which acquired the company in 1999. Within Wizards of the Coast's corporate structure, Archetype Entertainment operates as a subsidiary—a video game developer founded in April 2019 and based in Austin, Texas. The company also acquired TSR, the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, in 1997.

### What video games has Wizards of the Coast produced?

Wizards of the Coast has produced several digital games, including Magic: The Gathering Arena (2019), the digital version of their flagship card game; Magic Duels: Origins (2015); Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (2009); and Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (2021). Their subsidiary Archetype Entertainment, founded in 2019, focuses on developing video games.

### What is the Open Game License?

The Open Game License v1.0 (OGL) is a public copyright license for tabletop role-playing games introduced by Wizards of the Coast in 2000. It was designed to allow third-party publishers to create compatible content for Dungeons & Dragons and the d20 System while protecting certain designated Product Identity. The license has been controversial and underwent significant legal disputes in 2023 regarding its terms.

### Where is Wizards of the Coast located?

Wizards of the Coast is headquartered in Renton, Washington, a city in King County, Washington, United States. The company was founded in Seattle in 1990 and later moved to Renton. The company operates within the United States, classified under country code Q30.

## Why It Matters

Wizards of the Coast holds a foundational position in the modern gaming industry, having created two of the most influential games in history. Magic: The Gathering (1993) invented the collectible card game genre and has become a cultural phenomenon with millions of players worldwide, generating billions in revenue and inspiring countless other card games. The game's innovative mechanics of deck building, mana systems, and color wheel design have become templates replicated across the industry.

When Wizards of the Coast acquired TSR in 1997 and assumed control of Dungeons & Dragons, the company saved the seminal tabletop role-playing game from financial trouble and later revitalized it with the 3rd edition (2000) and subsequent editions. This acquisition preserved and expanded one of the most important game properties in history, ensuring the continued growth of the role-playing game community.

The company's influence extends into digital gaming through Magic: The Gathering Arena, which has brought the card game to a new generation of digital players, and through subsidiaries like Archetype Entertainment. Wizards of the Coast's business model—combining physical card games, tabletop RPGs, digital games, and licensing—has become a template for modern game publishers.

As a subsidiary of Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast represents a significant pillar of the toy and entertainment conglomerate's gaming division, contributing to the company's portfolio of intellectual properties that include some of the most recognizable names in games worldwide.

## Notable For

- **Pioneering Collectible Card Games:** Creating Magic: The Gathering in 1993, the world's first modern collectible card game
- **Owning Dungeons & Dragons:** Publishing the original and most influential tabletop role-playing game
- **Industry Influence:** Establishing the d20 System, which became a standard for tabletop role-playing games
- **Digital Expansion:** Developing Magic: The Gathering Arena, one of the most successful digital card games
- **Licensing Innovation:** Creating the Open Game License, which shaped the tabletop RPG publishing industry
- **Subsidiary Growth:** Establishing Archetype Entertainment in 2019 to expand into video game development
- **Cultural Impact:** Magic: The Gathering has been translated into numerous languages and has a global player base spanning decades

## Body

### History and Founding

Wizards of the Coast was founded in 1990 by Peter Adkison, an American businessman with a vision to create innovative tabletop games. The company's first major product was Magic: The Gathering, developed in collaboration with game designer Richard Garfield. The game was released in August 1993 and quickly became a phenomenon, selling millions of packs in its first year and establishing the collectible card game genre.

The success of Magic: The Gathering allowed Wizards of the Coast to expand rapidly. In 1997, the company made a pivotal acquisition: purchasing TSR, the company that had published Dungeons & Dragons since its creation in 1974. This acquisition ensured the survival of the tabletop role-playing game and gave Wizards of the Coast control over one of the most important game properties in history.

In 1999, Hasbro acquired Wizards of the Coast, making it a subsidiary of the American multinational toy and entertainment company. Under Hasbro's ownership, Wizards of the Coast has continued to expand its product lines and digital presence while maintaining its position as a leading game publisher.

### Products and Game Lines

Wizards of the Coast produces a diverse portfolio of games spanning multiple genres and formats:

**Collectible and Trading Card Games:**
Magic: The Gathering remains the company's flagship product, with continuous releases of new sets, expansions, and special editions since 1993. The game has spawned numerous spin-offs, video game adaptations, and a dedicated competitive scene. Duel Masters is another trading card game franchise based on Japanese manga and anime.

**Tabletop Role-Playing Games:**
Dungeons & Dragons, acquired from TSR, continues to be the company's cornerstone RPG product. Wizards of the Coast has published multiple editions, including the popular 5th Edition (2014). The company also produces various campaign settings including Forgotten Realms (originally created by Ed Greenwood in 1967), Eberron, Ravenloft (gothic horror), and Dark Sun (post-apocalyptic desert world).

**Board Games:**
The company publishes numerous board games including Betrayal at House on the Hill, RoboRally, and Heroscape. These products demonstrate Wizards of the Coast's expansion beyond card and role-playing games into the broader tabletop gaming market.

**The d20 System:**
Wizards of the Coast developed the d20 System, a tabletop role-playing game system originally derived from the 3rd Edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The Open Game License allowed other publishers to use the system, leading to its widespread adoption and the creation of numerous third-party games.

### Digital Presence and Video Games

Wizards of the Coast has made significant investments in digital gaming:

**Magic: The Gathering Arena:**
Released in 2019, Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free-to-play digital card game that brings the Magic: The Gathering experience to PC. The game has become one of the most popular digital card games, with millions of players and regular tournament coverage.

**Other Digital Products:**
The company has produced several other video games including Magic Duels: Origins (2015), Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (2009), and Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (2021). These games span various genres from card battles to action RPGs.

**Subsidiary Development:**
Archetype Entertainment, founded in April 2019 as a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, is based in Austin, Texas and focuses on developing video games. This subsidiary represents Wizards of the Coast's strategic expansion into independent video game development.

### Corporate Structure and Ownership

Wizards of the Coast operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro, the American multinational toy and entertainment company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro's portfolio includes numerous other well-known toy and entertainment brands.

The company's headquarters is located in Renton, Washington, United States. The corporate structure includes various subsidiaries and divisions focused on different product lines, from physical card games to digital products.

### Legal and Licensing

Wizards of the Coast has been involved in significant legal and licensing initiatives:

**Open Game License (OGL):**
Released in 2000, the Open Game License v1.0 allowed third-party publishers to create content compatible with Dungeons & Dragons and the d20 System. This license was revolutionary in the tabletop gaming industry, enabling a thriving ecosystem of third-party publishers and helping to revitalize the role-playing game market after the decline following the 1990s.

**Product Identity:**
The OGL carefully designated certain content as "Product Identity" that remained protected, including specific character names, settings, and story elements. This balance between openness and intellectual property protection has been central to the company's licensing strategy.

### Related Entities and Connections

Wizards of the Coast maintains relationships with numerous entities in the gaming and entertainment industries:

**Key People:**
- Peter Adkison — Founder and businessman
- Richard Garfield — Game designer who created Magic: The Gathering

**Predecessor:**
- TSR — The original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, founded in 1973 and acquired by Wizards of the Coast in 1997

**Parent Company:**
- Hasbro — American multinational toy and entertainment company

**Subsidiaries:**
- Archetype Entertainment — Video game developer founded 2019

**Locations:**
- Renton, Washington — Corporate headquarters
- Seattle, Washington — Original founding location
- Austin, Texas — Location of Archetype Entertainment subsidiary

### Industry Classification

Wizards of the Coast operates across multiple industry classifications:

- **Video Game Publisher:** Company that publishes video games
- **Game Publisher:** Company specializing in publishing games across various formats
- **Software:** The company produces software products including digital games
- **Business:** Organization undertaking commercial, industrial, or professional activity

The company's classification as both a game publisher and software company reflects its diverse product portfolio spanning physical tabletop games and digital entertainment products.

### Community and Culture

Wizards of the Coast maintains an active community presence through:

- **Gaming Stores:** Support for local game stores through organized play programs
- **Competitive Play:** Professional and amateur tournament circuits for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons
- **Digital Communities:** Active social media presence across multiple platforms
- **Gaming Conventions:** Participation in and sponsorship of major gaming conventions worldwide

The company's products have fostered dedicated communities of players, collectors, and content creators who engage with Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons through in-person play, digital platforms, and content creation.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. MusicBrainz
3. National Software Reference Library
4. Global LEI Index
5. [Wizards of the Coast - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/wizards-of-the-coast)
6. Quora
7. [(8) Wizards of the Coast: Overview | LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/wizards-of-the-coast/)
8. [Wizards of the Coast's Privacy Policy | Wizards Corporate](https://company.wizards.com/en/legal/wizards-coasts-privacy-policy)
9. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
10. [Careers | Wizards of the Coast](https://company.wizards.com/en/careers)
11. [Best Wizards Of The Coast Posts - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/t/wizards_of_the_coast/)