Paranoia publication date?

[ReaperWolf]

I realize the year was 1984 but is there an actual publication date?

I'm thinking of running a happy b-day Paranoia game in the near future.

>>ReaperWolf

 

[Allen Varney]

I'm fairly sure PARANOIA debuted at the 1984 Origins convention (Origins International Games Expo) in Dallas, Texas. Dates given online for that convention vary, either June 23-27 (according to Alan Emrich, http://www.alanemrich.com/CSR_pages/Awards%20Pages/CSR1984.htm ) or July 5-8 (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_Game_Fair -- which, interestingly, cites the Alan Emrich page as its source!).

 

[Elrick]

I'm fairly sure PARANOIA debuted at the 1984 Origins convention (Origins International Games Expo) in Dallas, Texas. Dates given online for that convention vary, either June 23-27 (according to Alan Emrich, http://www.alanemrich.com/CSR_pages/Awards%20Pages/CSR1984.htm ) or July 5-8 (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_Game_Fair -- which, interestingly, cites the Alan Emrich page as its source!).

Clear evidence of Computer Phreaks tampering, citizen. Why have you not reported it?

I've just checked the Dragon magazines archive and according to the Origins preview in issue 86 (June 1984) Origins 1984 was run on June 21st to 24th at the Dallas Market Center.

Issue 90 (October 1984) is the first Dragon that adverts for Paranoia show up in. But (assuming lead-time for magazine marketing was similar in the US to the UK at that time) it's not unreasonable to assume a 3-4 month gap between placing ads and them appearing in print.

 

[Allen Varney]

Say rather, magazine cover dates were post-dated to several months after the actual date they hit the shelves, to maximize the time retailers would keep them on sale. So the October-dated Dragon probably appeared in June or July.

 

[Clangador]

Say rather, magazine cover dates were post-dated to several months after the actual date they hit the shelves, to maximize the time retailers would keep them on sale. So the October-dated Dragon probably appeared in June or July.

So that is why they do that. I have wondered about that for decades.