The History of RPGs

How Dragon Quest Inspired the First Big Console RPG Boom in Japan, Both For Better and For Worse

HISTORY OF RPGS | A survey of the innovative RPGs to emerge in Loto's wake.

The Bard's Tale Launched the Second Wave of RPGs

HISTORY OF RPGS | Welcome to Skara Brae, and to the future.

How Wizardry Cast Story Aside in Favor of Casting Spells

HISTORY OF RPGS | In Part Two of our monthly series, Robert Woodhead enlightens us about Wizardry's pursuit of systems over story.

How the Ultima Trilogy Took a Genre from Tabletop to Hi-Tech

HISTORY OF RPGS | In Part One of our new monthly series, Lord British shares his perspectives on the process of bringing pen-and-paper RPGs into the digital realm.

Yuji Horii Remembers the Difficult Road to Liberating RPGs from Costly Computers With Dragon Quest

HISTORY OF RPGS | The great migration away from just PCs started with Dragon Quest in 1986.

Roguelikes: How a Niche PC RPG Genre Went Mainstream

HISTORY OF RPGS | Mystery Dungeon tackled the daunting task of making roguelikes friendly.

How Ultima 4 and Wasteland Ushered in a New Era of Maturity for RPGs

HISTORY OF RPGS | Inside Ultima 4 and Wasteland, two critical attempts to bring meaning to the genre of RPGs.