Overview
The Wizardry series is a franchise of computer RPGs in a fantasy setting. It is characterized by its first person perspective, multi character party system, and turn based combat. The original game, Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, was originally released in 1981. The main series has seen eight installments in addition to a variety of spin-offs.
While originally a western produced franchise, it gained a lasting popularity in Japan, where developers started licensing the brand and producing numerous spin-offs for the Japanese market. This popularity continued even as the franchise declined in the west, leading Japanese online gaming giant Aeria Inc. to acquire the rights to the series in November 2006 through its subsidiary Aeria IPM Inc. after the original developer, Sir-Tech Software, had shut down.
IPM was sold to Gamepot, Inc. in February 2008, and continues to manage and license out the rights to the franchise in Japan.
Similar games
It's continued presence in Japan has also inspired a number of modern game franchises based around similar structure and gameplay mechanics of the earlier games in the series. Known as Dungeon RPGs, these include series such as Etrian Odyssey, Class of Heroes, Shin Megami Tensei, Elminage, and Unchained Blades.
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