Lectures on Tap - "The History of D&D: From Imagination to IP"
About this Event
📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email
🧠 Lecture: "The History of D&D: From Imagination to IP"
🎤 Speaker: Eric Silver
Join us for an evening delving into the wild, winding history of Dungeons & Dragons—from a 48-page rulebook typed by Wisconsin insurance underwriter Gary Gygax in 1974 to a global cultural force owned by Hasbro. We’ll trace how a scrappy fantasy game survived moral panics, corporate missteps, and decades of reinvention to become a mainstream powerhouse through 5th Edition and actual play shows like The Adventure Zone and Critical Role.
Eric will unpack the 2023 Open Game License controversy, when Hasbro’s attempt to rewrite the rules for independent creators sparked one of pop culture’s most surprising fan revolts—and, for a brief moment, the nerds won. This talk is about creativity, community, and what happens when a billion-dollar company forgets that its most valuable asset is a game about going on adventures with your friends.
Eric Silver is an award-winning podcast producer, TTRPG designer, teacher, and Dungeon Master of the actual-play podcast "Join the Party," with over 10 million downloads. As Head of Development at Multitude, he’s helped create shows with 30+ million downloads and partnerships with Netflix, Sony Music, and more.
Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌
Agenda
6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.
6:55 PM – Host introduction
7:00 PM – Lecture begins
7:45 PM – Audience Q&A
8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round
8:30 PM – Wrap up.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 41.32
