Jon Peterson
Jon Peterson is a role-playing and wargaming historian. He is the author of Playing at the World (2012), The Elusive Shift (2020), and Game Wizards (2021), and provided the images and commentary for Wizards of the Coast's The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons (2024). He is also co-author of the books Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana (2018) and Lore & Legends (2023), as well as the bestseller Heroes' Feast (2020) and its sequel. (2023), as well as the Deck of Many Morsels (2024). He has also worked on various ancillary projects for Wizards of the Coast, including the guide to Trivial Pursuit: Dungeons & Dragons Ultimate Edition (2022). He has contributed to numerous academic anthologies and lectured on games at UCLA, USC, Stanford and NYU, and has been a guest of honor at numerous industry conventions. He has also contributed to several film and television projects, including his appearance in The Dreams in Gary's Basement (2023, also executive producer) and the television show Heroes' Feast (2024, also associate producer). Since 2022 he has assisted the Koder Collection in cataloging.
Events
The Eye of the Beholder(s): Art, Games, and Adventures Through 50 Years of D&D
On the occasion of the extraordinary exhibition Gateway to Adventure - 50 Years of D&D Art, we gather for a panel that is not just a celebration of the art of Dungeons & Dragons but also an opportunity to explore the evolution of a visual imagination that has defined fantasy over the past fifty years. Leading us on this journey will be Jon Peterson and Jessica Lee Patterson, curators of the exhibition and deep connoisseurs of D&D's history. They will be joined by artists Erol Otus, a legend of the old school, and Tyler Jacobson, one of the leading figures of the new generation.
Expanding the Realms: D&D and the Evolution of Culture and Storytelling
Fifty years of Dungeons & Dragons mark a milestone that invites us not only to look back but also to project ourselves into the future. In this panel, Jon Peterson, renowned historian and author on D&D, Jeremy Crawford, lead designer of the fifth edition, and Alex Kammer, dungeon master, author, and director of Gamehole Con, will guide us through the metamorphosis of a game that is much more than a simple pastime: it is a cultural phenomenon, a storytelling platform, and a meeting point for millions of people.