ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ ðə tˈɛkstbˈeɪst bˈeɪsɪk ɡˈeɪm stˈɑːɹ tɹˈeɪdɚ, dɹˈʌɡ wˈɔːɹz wʌz ɹˈɪʔn̩ fɔːɹ ˌaɪbˌiːˈɛm pˌiːsˈiː kəmpˈæɾᵻbəlz baɪ dʒˈɑːn ˈiː. dˈɛl ænd ɹᵻlˈiːst ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ.
Inspired by the text-based BASIC game Star Trader, Drug Wars was written for IBM PC compatibles by John E. Dell and released in 1984.