The art of Shinobu Tanno, a Vandalier in Parros In the long history of artists contributing to the aesthetic trajectory of videogame RPGs, there are a few instances where one can observe the same trend that already affected classic art for centurie...

The art of Shinobu Tanno, a Vandalier in Parros

#jrpg #rpg #rpghistory #vandalhearts #ps1 #videogameart #videogamehistory #rpghistory #gaming #gamedev #guinsaga

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Found in translation: how Ys V: Lost Kefin's Taito PS2 remake was finally unearthed Even among diehard fans of Nihon Falcom’s storied action JRPG series, Ys, devoted to the adventures of redhead swordsman Adol Christin in a world reminiscent of Earth’s distant past in a previous hist...

Found in translation: how Ys V: Lost Kefin's Taito PS2 remake was finally unearthed

#jrpg #rpg #ys #falcom #taito #ps2 #fantranslation #gaming #videogamehistory #rpghistory #gamedev

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Ys vs Trails in the Sky, a time capsule from Falcom's past Developer: Nihon Falcom

Ys vs Trails in the Sky, a time capsule from Falcom's past

#jrpg #rpg #falcom #ys #trailsinthesky #psp #refint #gaming #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gamedev #switch #ps5 #steam

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

The art of Satoshi Urushihara, a history of glossy lyricism from Transformers to Growlanser Among the Japanese artists who contributed to videogame RPGs in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, one can often distinguish between those that had a traditional art education, conveying their style throug...

The art of Satoshi Urushihara, a history of glossy lyricism from Transformers to Growlanser

#jrpg #rpg #langrisser #growlanser #rpghistory #videogamehistory #videogameart #gaming #gamedev #megadrive #segasaturn #ps1 #ps2 #psp

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Found in translation: how Tales of Phantasia Cross crossed over to English speakers Despite its relevance in Japanese RPG history, Tales of Phantasia, the first entry in Namco’s flagship action RPG series, originally released in December 1995 on Super Famicom, has a rather bizarre lo...

Found in translation: how Tales of Phantasia Cross crossed over to English speakers

#jrpg #rpg #talesofphantasia #tales #namco #psp #rpghistory #fantranslation #gaming #videogamehistory #gamedev

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

The THAC0 Test: How a D&D Rule Changed Gaming History Fallout creator Tim Cain reveals how mastering D&D's THAC0 rule helped him secure his breakthrough role at Interplay Entertainment.

The THAC0 Test: How a D&D Rule Changed Gaming History

#TimCain #Fallout #GameDevelopment #RPGHistory #AusNews

thedailyperspective.org/article/2026-03-10-the-t...

Soma Bringer, Monolith's handheld interlude between Xenosaga and Xenoblade Developer: Monolith Soft

Soma Bringer, Monolith's handheld interlude between Xenosaga and Xenoblade

#jrpg #rpg #arpg #monolithsoft #sorayasaga #nintendods #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gaming #gamedev

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

The Council, a surreal French conspiracy before the Terror Developer: Big Bad Wolf - Cyanide

The Council, a surreal French conspiracy before the Terror

#rpg #wrpg #frenchrpg #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gaming #gamedev #ps4 #pc #steam

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

SD Gundam: Battle Alliance, fixing timelines one mobile suit at a time Developer: Artdink

SD Gundam: Battle Alliance, fixing timelines one mobile suit at a time

#rpg #jrpg #ps4 #switch #pc #steam #gundam #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gamedev #gaming

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Found in translation: how Japanese RPGMaker darling Tobira no Densetsu finally opened its gates to English players Mere weeks after discussing Progenitor, the Japanese RPG scene saw yet another fantranslation effort originally kickstarted by a small group of ardent fans, whose passionate coverage was able to spotl...

Found in translation: how Japanese RPGMaker darling Tobira no Densetsu finally opened its gates to English players

#jrpg #rpg #rpgmaker #tobiden #tobiranodensetsu #fantranslation #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gaming #gamedev #pc

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

How I sailed to the Hawaii and met Napoleon, or my 2025 RPG roundup With 2026 starting out, it’s time to unwind a bit and recount the tale of yet another year spent adventuring in the multiverse of videogame RPGs, almost like a digital version of Moorcock’s Eternal Ch...

How I sailed to the Hawaii and met Napoleon, or my 2025 RPG roundup

#rpg #jrpg #wrpg #gaming #gamedev #rpghistory #videogamehistory

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Live A Live, Tokita's anthological struggle against Hate Developer: Squaresoft (Super Famicom original), Historia and Square Enix BD2 (Remake)

Live A Live, Tokita's anthological struggle against Hate

#rpg #jrpg #livealive #superfamicom #squaresoft #nintendoswitch #pc #steam #ps4 #videogamehistory #rpghistory #gamedev #gaming

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Baldur's Gate's PS1 misadventure and other unlikely RPG ports in the age of hardware separation Developer: BioWare (PC original), Runecraft (PS1 port)

Baldur's Gate's PS1 misadventure and other unlikely RPG ports in the age of hardware separation

#rpg #wrpg #crpg #baldursgate #ps1 #runecraft #videogamehistory #rpghistory #gaming #gamedev #pc

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

The art of Hitoshi Yoneda, a leap into the world of watercolor sci-fantasy Alongside sword and sorcery, the sci-fantasy genre was one of the cornerstones of pulp literature, building its own unique aesthetic with countless different works like Schoonover’s cover arts for Bur...

The art of Hitoshi Yoneda, a leap into the world of watercolor sci-fantasy

#rpg #jrpg #videogameart #videogamehistory #rpghistory #phantasystar #sorcerian #hitoshiyoneda #gaming #retrogaming #gamedev

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

How Gamefaqs changed RPG consumption - an history of RPG walkthroughs, from clue books and hearsay to the digital age Writing about the history of videogame RPGs doesn’t just mean discussing titles, franchise, developers and game design trends, but also their audience and how the way it engaged with this genre change...

How Gamefaqs changed RPG consumption: an history of RPG walkthroughs, from clue books and hearsay to the digital age

#rpg #wrpg #jrpg #crpg #gamefaqs #walkthrough #nintendopower #videogamehistory #gaming #gamedev #rpghistory

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

Prisoner, Feycraft's PS1 top-down dystopia Developer: Feycraft

Prisoner, Feycraft's PS1 top-down dystopia

#rpg #jrpg #ps1 #retrogaming #videogamehistory #feycraft
#gamedev #gaming #rpghistory

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

⚔️ In early D&D, Paladins were the most noble, and the most punishing, class to play.

What happened to the Paladin’s original meaning?

🎲 Find out now in my latest video:
𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝘿&𝘿’𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨?

youtu.be/z6IH_CIOk8g

#DnD #OldSchoolDND #TTRPG #Paladin #ADnD #RPGHistory

The Shadowed Old Gods of Game Design: Remembering Holmes, Moldvay and Mentzer History tends to flatten itself. Nuance becomes nostalgia, multiplicity turns into myth. The history of tabletop role-playing games is no exception. And the history of tabletop role-playing games is no different, for its creation myth usually has has two names engraved in gold: Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Rightful twin creators of Dungeons & Dragons, the legendary duo whose collaboration (and later discord) gave rise to everything else which followed.

New on RPG Gazette: The Shadowed Old Gods of Game Design. A look at the quieter architects of D&D - Holmes, Moldvay, and Mentzer - who shaped how we play, dream, and imagine. Forgotten by many, their work still defines the soul of the game.

#ttrpg #dnd #osr #rpghistory #rpgcommunity #roleplayinggam

Joe Dever's Lone Wolf, an Italo-British tribute to the world of Gamebooks Developer: Forge Reply

Joe Dever's Lone Wolf, an Italo-British tribute to the world of Gamebooks

#rpg #wrpg #gamebook #lonewolf #JoeDever #rpghistory #videogamehistory #gaming #gamedev #switch #steam #ps4

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

🎲 BONUS UNBOXING!

I unboxed the 𝙋𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, a wild collaboration that feels like opening a time capsule of 1970s gaming!

And it's joined by OSR weird science-fantasy goodness from Barrows & Borderlands!

🎥 Watch the unboxing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQlK...

#OSR #DnD #TTRPG #RPGHistory

The lich is one of D&D’s most powerful monsters, but its roots go far deeper than the Monster Manual.

💀 From ancient myth to Sword & Sorcery fiction to D&D, discover how this undead sorcerer evolved.

🎥 Watch now!: youtu.be/tHLnWQqTd6E

#DnD #TTRPG #OSR #RPGHistory #DADDYROLLEDA1

Collection of RPG history books with “This is Free Trader Beowulf” protruding.

One of these books doesn’t fit with the rest of the rpg history books on this shelf. (Physically that is)

#rpghistory #traveller

Need to give a shout-out to Necromancer Games. They brought that “old-school feel” to 3rd‑edition with killer adventures like Rappan Athuk, Tome of Horrors, and City State of the Invincible Overlord. They blurred the lines between d20 and classic D&D in the best way.
#OSR #TTRPG #RPGHistory #RPG

What was the first TTRPG system you ever played?

Mine was D&D 5e—gateway game for so many of us.

The one I prefer to play now? Ealdsmyth, no contest.

What was your first system, and what’s your favorite now?

#TTRPG #RPGHistory #FirstGameMagic #Ealdsmyth

🇸🇪 Drakar och Demoner fue el primer juego de rol sueco, publicado en 1982 por Äventyrsspel.
Inspirado en Basic Role-Playing de Chaosium, se convirtió en un fenómeno en los países nórdicos.
📜 ¡Un clásico que sigue vivo!

#Rol #TTRPG #DrakarOchDemoner #JuegosDeRol #RPGHistory #SoyRolero

Before Clair Obscur: the history of French RPGs - Part III: the rise of Franco-Japanese RPGs In the first two parts of this retrospective about the history of French videogame RPGs, we had a chance to discover the first pioneeristic effort of the mid ‘80s, the lull of the ‘90s, the disruption...

Before Clair Obscur: the history of French RPGs - Part III: the rise of Franco-Japanese RPGs

open.substack.com/pub/magnvsrp...

#rpg #frenchrpg #jrpg #France #videogamehistory #rpghistory #retrogaming #clairobscur #expedition33 #gaming #gamedev #sandfall #lizardcube #fuga #edgeofeternity

The Fighter: from humble beginnings to unstoppable warrior.

How did D&D’s most iconic class evolve edition by edition?

📺 Find out in my new video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JJh...

#DnD #TTRPG #Fighter #RPGHistory #OldSchoolDnD

TSR rewrote Basic D&D in 1983… but did they ruin it?

Moldvay vs. Mentzer. Purple Box vs. Red Box.

📺 New video out now: bit.ly/BXvsBECMI

#DnDHistory #BECMI #OldSchoolDnD #TSR #RedBox #Moldvay #OSR #TTRPG #RPGHistory #RPGLore #DnDDiscourse #80sGaming #MentzerEdition

Choose 20 TTRPG books/box sets that have stayed with you or influenced you. One TTRPG book/box set per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
Day 97/20 #ttrpg #rpg #horror #horrorrpg #fantasyrpg #scifirpg #rpgindustry #rpghistory

The Curse of Williams Two executives. Two decades. One cursed pattern of corporate folly. From Buck Rogers vanity projects to monetization pipelines no one asked for, “The Curse of Williams” explores how D&D nearly died – twice – and why it keeps rolling natural 20s on survival anyway.

What do Buck Rogers, corporate buzzwords, and a cracked d20 have in common? Find out in The Curse of Williams – a tale of two execs who nearly killed D&D, and the players who kept it alive. Read now. #DnD #TTRPG #OSR #RPGHistory #CurseOfWilliams