Reid Hoffman

When I started playing RuneQuest, probably 10.

When I started playing RuneQuest, probably 10.

Well, mostly as a function, again, like the role-playing games is like strategy, right? So it's kind of, you know, how do you kind of think about, like an adventure is both a narrative experience, but it's also a strategic experience. Like, you know, how do you save the town from the bandits, you know, that kind of thing. Mm-hmm.

Well, mostly as a function, again, like the role-playing games is like strategy, right? So it's kind of, you know, how do you kind of think about, like an adventure is both a narrative experience, but it's also a strategic experience. Like, you know, how do you save the town from the bandits, you know, that kind of thing. Mm-hmm.

And so it gave me a deep sense of kind of like how does strategy and tactics and problem solving and how do you do it as a group, right? Because, you know, in fantasy role-playing games, it tends to be, you know, especially when I was doing it as a kid, a set of blokes around the table. I hear it's now a little bit more gender balanced, which is good, and especially for the blokes.

And so it gave me a deep sense of kind of like how does strategy and tactics and problem solving and how do you do it as a group, right? Because, you know, in fantasy role-playing games, it tends to be, you know, especially when I was doing it as a kid, a set of blokes around the table. I hear it's now a little bit more gender balanced, which is good, and especially for the blokes.

It's like, oh, we're not just geeks by ourselves here, right? And... And so and the way that I got to doing this is I was enough because this is kind of the focused, you know, kind of kid I was is what I I'd heard that the Chaosium had their offices where we're down the street from a friend of mine's. And so I literally walked in the door and started hanging out at their office.

It's like, oh, we're not just geeks by ourselves here, right? And... And so and the way that I got to doing this is I was enough because this is kind of the focused, you know, kind of kid I was is what I I'd heard that the Chaosium had their offices where we're down the street from a friend of mine's. And so I literally walked in the door and started hanging out at their office.

And they're the maker of this game. They're the maker of this game. The chief editor, I think, wanted to get me out of the office. So he said he handed me the in-development draft of this and said, here, go look at this. And so I took it home as an obsessive kid. I like redlined it. I worked my way through it. And I brought it back. Like he gave me a Friday and I brought it back on Monday.

And they're the maker of this game. They're the maker of this game. The chief editor, I think, wanted to get me out of the office. So he said he handed me the in-development draft of this and said, here, go look at this. And so I took it home as an obsessive kid. I like redlined it. I worked my way through it. And I brought it back. Like he gave me a Friday and I brought it back on Monday.

So he failed on his get this kid out of the office mission, right? But he was then – and I still remember this look of vague irritation when I handed him this because he's like, oh, this kid is handing me this thing. Oh, fuck. I don't want to be a mean guy. And then he started looking at it and went – Oh, this is actually good work. And it was like, I want to use this work.

So he failed on his get this kid out of the office mission, right? But he was then – and I still remember this look of vague irritation when I handed him this because he's like, oh, this kid is handing me this thing. Oh, fuck. I don't want to be a mean guy. And then he started looking at it and went – Oh, this is actually good work. And it was like, I want to use this work.

And I was a kid, so I didn't understand. He needed to pay me to use it. That wasn't why. I was just doing it because I wanted to show that I knew how to do this stuff. And so he then wrote me a check. So it was like my very first paycheck. to be able to use the work in the publication because this is how copyright, that means he then owns all the work that I did so he could publish it.

And I was a kid, so I didn't understand. He needed to pay me to use it. That wasn't why. I was just doing it because I wanted to show that I knew how to do this stuff. And so he then wrote me a check. So it was like my very first paycheck. to be able to use the work in the publication because this is how copyright, that means he then owns all the work that I did so he could publish it.

Yes.

Yes.

Oh, it's like $160 or something. It's not bad for a 12-year-old. No, no, no. My dad was originally opposed to fantasy role-playing games. It was like, what are you doing? Like, you know, be on a path to a real life. And then when I brought home the paycheck, I was like, well, maybe that works.

Oh, it's like $160 or something. It's not bad for a 12-year-old. No, no, no. My dad was originally opposed to fantasy role-playing games. It was like, what are you doing? Like, you know, be on a path to a real life. And then when I brought home the paycheck, I was like, well, maybe that works.

Frankly, I had no idea other than the following entertaining thing, which is since both my mother and father are lawyers, when I was asked when I was 12 what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was not a lawyer. Really? Yes. Well, because lawyers, obviously a bunch of – or a barrister on the side of the pond –

Frankly, I had no idea other than the following entertaining thing, which is since both my mother and father are lawyers, when I was asked when I was 12 what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was not a lawyer. Really? Yes. Well, because lawyers, obviously a bunch of – or a barrister on the side of the pond –