Wizards of the Coast: reaching new heights through digital games

Magic: The Gathering has had a much longer life than anyone expected. I’m sure if you asked anyone who was there in the beginning, they would laugh. But now we’re almost to Magic’s 30th anniversary and it’s still going strong. I, for one, wish I could travel back about 25 years and punch myself before I sold my cards. C’est la vie!

So, how did Magic survive this long? Other than being a well-designed and intriguing game, Wizards of the Coast changed with the times. They were early adopters of using video gaming to expand their audience. Magic: the Gathering, released in 1997 by Microprose, comes to mind. The video game let you explore a digital world and collect cards to build your ultimate deck. Magic: the Gathering Online debuted in 2002 and is still running today.