query: publisher annihilation 
supports: A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as role-playing game or RPG, and in the past was also known as computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (and/or several party members) immersed in some well-defined world. Many role-playing video games have origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games (Including "Dungeons & Dragons") and use much of the same , settings and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replayability and immersion. The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences. Since the 1980s, Role-playing is the most commercially viable video game genre in Japan, and has more market share of any other genre in the japanese gaming industry, although in the 2010s first-person shooters and western iOS and Android games were becoming rapidly and increasingly popular in that country. Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with "" in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular "Dungeons & Dragons" role-playing game by purchasing the failing company TSR, and experienced tremendous success by publishing the licensed "Pokémon Trading Card Game". The company's corporate headquarters are located in Renton, Washington in the United States of America. Baldur's Gate is a fantasy role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. It is the first game in the "Baldur's Gate" series and takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using a modified version of the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" ("AD&D") 2nd edition rules. The game received critical acclaim and was credited for revitalizing the computer role-playing game genre. The game allows development of the player character through choice of companions, dialogue choices, exploration, and battle. "Baldur's Gate" uses a reputation system and rewards the player depending on the choices made in the game. Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the "Dungeons & Dragons" ("D&D") fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories. Several years later, Greenwood brought the setting to the "D&D" game as a series of magazine articles, and the first Realms game products were released in 1987. Role-playing game products have been produced for the setting ever since, as have various licensed products including sword and sorcery novels, role-playing video game adaptations (including the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game to use graphics), and comic books. The Forgotten Realms is one of the most popular "D&D" settings, largely due to the success of novels by authors such as R. A. Salvatore and numerous role-playing video games, including "Pool of Radiance" (1988), "Eye of the Beholder" (1991), "Baldur's Gate" (1998), "Icewind Dale" (2000) and "Neverwinter Nights" (2002). War of the Spider Queen is a "New York Times" best-selling series of novels set in the "Forgotten Realms" universe published by Wizards of the Coast. The series contains six books focused on the drow and their principal deity Lolth. Each of the six novels in the series is written by a different author with veteran Forgotten Realms author R. A. Salvatore overseeing the project. Cover art for each book in the series was designed by Gerald Brom who has done other Forgotten Realms work including reprints of The Avatar Series. Icewind Dale is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and originally published by Interplay Entertainment for Windows in 2000 and by MacPlay for OS X in 2002. It takes place in the "Dungeons & Dragons" Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the 2nd edition ruleset. The player begins the game by creating an adventuring party, which becomes enlisted as a caravan guard in the wake of strange events. As the story progresses, the player learns of a demonic feud that threatens the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale. Annihilation is a NY Times Best Seller fantasy novel by Philip Athans . It is the fifth book of the War of the Spider Queen hexad and , like other books in the series , it is set in the Forgotten Realms setting for Dungeons & Dragons . Fantasy is a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Most fantasy uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element, theme, or setting. Magic and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fantasy is generally distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three, all of which are subgenres of speculative fiction. Pool of Radiance is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR's "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" ("AD&D") fantasy role-playing game for home computers, becoming the first episode in a four-part series of "D&D" computer adventure games. The other games in the "Gold Box" series used the game engine pioneered in "Pool of Radiance", as did later "D&D" titles such as the "Neverwinter Nights" online game. "Pool of Radiance" takes place in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting, with the action centered in and around the port city of Phlan. Ed Greenwood (born July 21, 1959) is a Canadian-born fantasy writer and the original creator of the "Forgotten Realms" game world. He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for "Dragon" magazine beginning in 1979, and subsequently sold the rights to the setting to TSR, the creators of the "Dungeons & Dragons" roleplaying game, in 1986. He has written many Forgotten Realms novels, as well as numerous articles and "D&D" game supplement books. Neverwinter Nights is a third-person role-playing video game developed by BioWare. Interplay Entertainment was originally set to publish the game, but financial difficulties led to it being taken over by Atari. It was released on Microsoft Windows on June 18, 2002. BioWare later released a free Linux client in June 2003, requiring a purchased copy of the game to play. MacSoft released a Mac OS X port in August 2003.
candidates: android atari black isle studios creatures interplay entertainment japan macplay microsoft microsoft windows success tsr wizards of the coast
answer: wizards of the coast