2002
ENCAPSULATE 2002
As we pass further from the 20th century, a new age of board games slowly dawns
Words by Matthew Vernall
As Europe got ready to exchange their currencies to Euros and the UK got ready to celebrate the queen’s Golden Jubilee, the world of gaming continued to rapidly advance as online shopping and digital media became more and more popular. This year sees one of BGG’s most beloved games having its first edition, as well as many other popular franchises and companies. Join us now as we look back on 2002.
PAIZO INC. FOUNDED
They say one man’s loss is another man’s gain, though in this case I doubt Wizards of the Coast intended to create their biggest RPG rival after cancelling a magazine.
When Wizards of the Coast decided to close down all of their magazine publications in 2002, ex-employees Lisa Stevens and Vic Wertz teamed up with Johnny Wilson to continue the two most popular D&D magazines, funnily enough named Dungeon (designed for DMs looking for new campaign ideas and supplements) and Dragon (which included content for all players of the game.) It was through this and the next five years that Paizo Publishing (as it was originally known) grew to become a beloved company in the RPG community, particularly for their support of “Adventure Paths,” providing full campaigns to enjoy across multiple issues.