History of Trivial Pursuit


Trivial Pursuit board with question cards

Trivial Pursuit was the board game Time magazine called the "the biggest phenomenon in game history." Trivial Pursuit was first conceived on December 15, 1979 by Canadians Chris Haney and Scott Abbott. At the time, Chris Haney worked as a photo editor at the Montreal Gazette, and Scott Abbott was a sports journalist for The Canadian Press. The two friends were playing Scrabble when they decided to invent their own game. They came up with the basic concept of Trivial Pursuit within a few hours.

How to play

In the game the players must answer questions about trivia in the areas of “Geography”, “Arts and Entertainment”, "History", “Science and Nature” and “Sports and Leisure”. The players take turns pulling question cards and answering them. The person who answers the most questions correctly moves around the board collecting all the pie shaped wedges. The player who does this first wins.

On November 10, 1981, the phrase "Trivial Pursuit" was registered as a trademark and was commercially released. That same month, one thousand copies of Trivial Pursuit were first published in Canada. The first copies of Trivial Pursuit were sold at a loss. The cost to manufacture the first copies of Trivial Pursuit rose to $ 75 per game while the game was sold to retailers for $15.  In December 1993, Trivial Pursuit was included in the "Games Hall of Fame" by Games Magazine.

Check that you understand what these words mean in this document
Trivial: something of small importance.
To be conceived: to come into being. (to conceive: to think up).
Basic concept: the starting point of an idea.
Registered: a formal or official recording of something.
Trademark: a name or symbol that distinguishes something.
Commercially: having profit as a chief aim.
To manufacture: to make (a raw material) into a finished product.
Retailer: a shop owner.

For further information visit:
Trivial Pursuit History 
Trivial Pursuit rules