Trivial Pursuit
On the 15th of December 1979, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott sat in a Montreal living room to play Scrabble. The game ended abruptly when they could not find an answer to a question about the first name of Columbo. This moment sparked an idea that would change board gaming forever. They designed the initial concept on the back of a cigarette carton within just 45 minutes. Over the course of 1980, they researched thousands of questions for their new project. Some early work took place at Weymouth Library in Dorset while staying with family. John Haney and Ed Werner helped complete development before the game launched in Canada during 1981.
By 1982, Trivial Pursuit had sold 100,000 copies across Canada alone. Sales began in the United States in 1983 and quickly accelerated. Between 1983 and 1988, the original version moved 30 million units globally. Retail sales reached 750,000,000 dollars during that period. Northern Plastics of Elroy, Wisconsin produced 30,000,000 games between 1983 and 1985. By 1986, total sales hit 20 million units grossing 600 million dollars. More than 100 million games were eventually sold in 26 countries and 17 languages. The rights transferred from Selchow and Righter to Parker Brothers in 1988. Hasbro bought full rights for 80 million dollars in 2008. In December 1993, Games magazine named it to the Games Hall of Fame.
Players move round playing pieces around a wheel-shaped board with six spokes. Each spoke ends at a category headquarters space marked by specific colors. Geography is blue while Entertainment is pink. History appears yellow and Art & Literature was originally brown before changing to purple. Science & Nature uses green and Sports & Leisure uses orange. A single die determines movement distance after players roll. Landing on a colored square triggers a question matching that color. Correct answers let players roll again while misses pass control to the next person. Six plastic wedges fit into the playing piece like cheese slices when earned. Players must land exactly on the center hub to win after collecting all wedges.
The original Genus edition launched alongside numerous specialized versions over time. Junior Edition appeared in 1985 targeting younger audiences. All-Star Sports and Baby Boomers editions catered to specific demographics. Promotional tie-ins included Star Wars, Saturday Night Live, and The Lord of the Rings movies. Over 100 different editions printed in various languages exist today. Some UK players complained about the 2006 version being dumbed down compared to earlier releases. Questions became easier with more focus on celebrities and show business. Trivial Pursuit Party simplified rules so every correct answer earned a wedge immediately. Board Games Land called it the godfather of trivia games while The Toy Insider noted its appeal across generations.
Fred L. Worth filed a 300 million dollar lawsuit in October 1984 against Trivial Pursuit distributors. He claimed over a quarter of questions came from his books including typographical errors. One question asked for Columbo's first name with Philip as the fabricated answer. The inventors argued facts cannot be copyrighted even if sourced from their work. A district court judge ruled in favor of Haney and Abbott. The United States Court of Appeals upheld this decision in September 1987. The Supreme Court declined review in March 1988. David Wall sued creators in 1994 claiming he shared ideas during a hitchhiking ride near Sydney. His mother found drawings resembling game plans before they disappeared. The Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruled against Wall on the 25th of June 2007 after years of legal wrangling.
A version hosted by Wink Martindale aired on The Family Channel from 1993 to 1994. Christopher Knight led a syndicated show called America Plays between 2008 and 2009. ESPN ran five episodes of a sports trivia show in September 2004 under Roger Lodge. LeVar Burton began hosting a new CW version on the 3rd of October 2024. BBC Television produced a UK edition hosted by Rory McGrath while Tony Slattery led another British version. Austria aired a local show in 1991 with Bernadette Schneider as host. Birgit Lechtermann presented the German VOX version from 1993 to 1994. A made-for-television movie titled Breaking all the Rules aired in 1988 featuring Gordon Clapp and Malcolm Stewart. The Soviet Union bought rights in 1989 for their own championship broadcast until 1991. Online versions launched including downloadable games on The Station@Sony starting in 1999. Hasbro Interactive released Millennium Edition in 1999 with three distinct gameplay modes.
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Common questions
When was Trivial Pursuit invented by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott?
Chris Haney and Scott Abbott conceived the game on the 15th of December 1979 while playing Scrabble in a Montreal living room. They designed the initial concept on the back of a cigarette carton within just 45 minutes.
How many copies of Trivial Pursuit were sold globally between 1983 and 1988?
Between 1983 and 1988, the original version moved 30 million units globally with retail sales reaching 750,000,000 dollars during that period. Northern Plastics of Elroy, Wisconsin produced 30,000,000 games between 1983 and 1985 alone.
What are the six category colors used on the Trivial Pursuit board?
Geography is blue while Entertainment is pink and History appears yellow. Art & Literature was originally brown before changing to purple, Science & Nature uses green and Sports & Leisure uses orange.
Who won the copyright lawsuit against Trivial Pursuit inventors in September 1987?
A district court judge ruled in favor of Haney and Abbott after Fred L. Worth filed a 300 million dollar lawsuit in October 1984. The United States Court of Appeals upheld this decision in September 1987.
When did LeVar Burton begin hosting the new CW version of Trivial Pursuit?
LeVar Burton began hosting a new CW version on the 3rd of October 2024. Previous television versions included shows hosted by Wink Martindale from 1993 to 1994 and Christopher Knight leading America Plays between 2008 and 2009.