14 Fun Facts About Dungeons & Dragons (Smithsonian)

I knew nothing about the history of d&d even though I knew people at high school in the mid 70s who played. Very popular with geeks at university.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/14-fun-facts-about-dungeons-dragons-180981905/

Ben Riggs, author of Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons, says the game initially proved popular among players like Gygax, who felt they hadn’t yet found a place for themselves in society. He adds, “You have to start there, with very intelligent people, but people who also feel like they’re not part of the fabric [of America] and maybe aren’t going anywhere.”

Since its debut in 1974, D&D has only grown in popularity. No longer a niche game, it’s been played by more than 50 million people to date, according to Wizards of the Coast, the Hasbro division that owns D&D.