Drug Wars
John E. Dell's 1984 MS-DOS trading game; 30 days to buy drugs cheap across New York, sell them for more, and pay off a loan shark charging 10% a day.
Drug Wars is a text trading game for MS-DOS by John E. Dell, copyright 19841. The player buys drugs in one part of New York and sells them in another, first to pay off a loan shark, then to make as much money as possible in a month2. Dell wrote the earliest version on a TRS-80 for a high-school computer class, then rewrote it for DOS and uploaded it to a bulletin board system3.
The DOS program survives only compiled, so the atlas measured it. A probe plays the original executable in the emu2 emulator and reads the screen (probes/trading/drug-wars.mjs). Every figure below is what the game showed.
#The loop
A game starts on 12/4/83 in the Bronx with $2,000 cash, a $5,500 debt, and a trench coat that holds 100 units4. Each day the game shows six prices, the player buys and sells, and then jets to one of six places: the Bronx, the Ghetto, Central Park, Manhattan, Coney Island, or Brooklyn5. Each jet takes a day, and the game ends after 30 days6.
The loan shark, the bank, and the stash are only in the Bronx7. The debt grows 10% a day, rounded down8, so $5,500 left alone is $87,198 on the last day8. The loan shark lends at most twice the cash in hand, less $509. The bank pays 5.5% a day10, but the status box can show the balance from before the day’s interest10.
A bigger trench coat, offered on arrival for $200 to $299, adds 20 units of space11.
#Prices
The instructions list a price range for each drug12. The prices the game draws fit a narrower rule. Every day each drug gets a random whole number of steps13, and three of them add another drug’s price from the day before14. The place makes no difference13.
| Drug | Instructions12 | Measured rule13,14 | Range drawn13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocaine | 15,000–30,000 | 15 to 28 × $1,000, plus yesterday’s weed price | 15,000–28,750 |
| Heroin | 5,000–14,000 | 5 to 12 × $1,000, plus 4 × yesterday’s speed price | 5,000–12,960 |
| Acid | 1,000–4,500 | 10 to 44 × $100 | 1,000–4,400 |
| Weed | 300–900 | 3 to 7 × $100, plus yesterday’s ludes price | 300–750 |
| Speed | 70–250 | 7 to 24 × $10 | 70–240 |
| Ludes | 10–60 | 1 to 5 × $10 | 10–50 |
The carry shows after a price event leaves an odd figure. Cheap ludes at $2 one day give weed at $402 the next, and cocaine at $25,402 the day after14. Day one carries nothing, so its prices are whole steps14.
On about 23% of days, a message moves one drug’s price15:
| Message (start) | Drug | Price15 |
|---|---|---|
COPS MADE A BIG COKE BUST | cocaine | × 5 |
ADDICTS ARE BUYING HEROIN AT OURAGEOUS PRICES | heroin | × 5 |
PIGS ARE SELLING CHEAP HEROIN FROM LAST WEEKS RAID | heroin | ÷ 5 |
THE MARKET HAS BEEN FLOODED WITH CHEAP HOME MADE ACID | acid | ÷ 5 |
COLOMBIAN FREIGHTER DUSTED THE COAST GUARD | weed | ÷ 5 |
RIVAL DRUG DEALERS RADED A PHARMACY | ludes | ÷ 7 |
A day never brings two price events, and speed never has one15.
#Risks
A mugging in the subway divides the cash by a whole number from 1 to 516. Officer Hardass and one to three deputies can chase a player who carries drugs, and never one who carries none17. Without a gun, the only answer is to run17. Guns come from offers on arrival, for $400 to $49911.
#History
Dell said he had recently played a game at a friend’s house about buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices, likely Taipan18. An MS-DOS Dope Wars from the Happy Hacker Foundation calls itself “based on John E. Dell’s old Drug Wars game”19. Ben Webb’s open-source dopewars derives, by its credits, from an MS-DOS Dope Wars of unknown authorship that was based on Drug Wars20. Jonathan Maier rewrote Drug Wars for a graphing calculator in 199321.
Mechanics
| Mechanic | Kind | How |
|---|---|---|
| Commodity trading | six drugs, six places, 30 days; a fresh random price every day, at most one price event |
Every claim about this game, by concept (19)
References
- ^ abThe title screen reads “Drug Wars, a game based on the New York drug market, by John E. Dell, copyright (1984)”.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
DRUG WARS A GAME BASED ON THE NEW YORK DRUG MARKET BY JOHN E. DELL COPYRIGHT (1984)
title screen · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^The instructions set the goal as paying off the loan shark, then making as much money as possible in one month, and put the player's stash in the Bronx.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
The object of the game is to pay off your debt to the loan shark. Then, make as much money as you can in a 1 month period. … Your main drug stash will be in the Bronx.
instructions screen · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^John E. Dell wrote the earliest version of Drug Wars on a TRS-80 for his sophomore computer class, then rewrote it for DOS and uploaded it to a bulletin board system.InterviewHuffman, Wired (2021)
How we know
Dell wrote the very first version of Drug Wars on a TRS-80 for his sophomore computer class. … Dell would later rewrite the game in DOS and upload it to a bulletin board system (BBS)
· archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^A game starts on 12/4/83 in the Bronx with $2,000 cash, a $5,500 debt to the loan shark, and a trench coat that holds 100 units.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
first day of every game · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^The player jets between six places, the Bronx, the Ghetto, Central Park, Manhattan, Coney Island, and Brooklyn.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the WHERE TO DUDE menu · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^Each jet takes a day, and the jet out of 1/3/84 ends the game after 30 days of trading, with no 12/31 on the calendar.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the DATE field, day by day · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^The loan shark, the stash, and the bank are only in the Bronx.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2revised
How we know
the loan shark, stash, and bank questions · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: The probe now checks the passive games visited all six places.
- ^ abThe debt grows 10% a day, rounded down to the dollar, so $5,500 left unpaid is $87,198 on the last day.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the DEBT field, day by day · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^The loan shark lends at most twice the cash in hand, less $50; with $2,000 he lends $3,950 and refuses $3,951, and the rule holds with $1,500, $1,000, and $500.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the loan shark's HOW MUCH TO BORROW question · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^ abThe bank pays 5.5% a day, rounded down, but the status box can show the balance from before the day's interest.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the BANK field after a $2,000 deposit, and a withdrawal on day three · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^ abOn arrival the game may offer a bigger trench coat for $200 to $299, which adds 20 units of space, or a gun for $400 to $499.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2revised
How we know
WILL YOU BUY A NEW TRENCH COAT WITH MORE POCKETS FOR
the trench coat and gun offers · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: The run's coat went from 100 to 120 units with 4 aboard (free space 96 to 116); the check measures the coat's size.
- ^ abThe instructions list six drugs with their prices per unit: cocaine 15,000–30,000, heroin 5,000–14,000, acid 1,000–4,500, weed 300–900, speed 70–250, and ludes 10–60.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
The prices of drugs per unit are: COCAINE 15000-30000
instructions screen · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^ abcdEach day every drug gets a new price, a random whole number of steps: cocaine 15 to 28 × $1,000, heroin 5 to 12 × $1,000, acid 10 to 44 × $100, weed 3 to 7 × $100, speed 7 to 24 × $10, and ludes 1 to 5 × $10.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2revised
How we know
the day's prices, every day of the passive games · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: Same in all six places and the drawn ranges were only printed; each place now turns up every step, and the ranges are the value's drawn, checked.
- ^ abcdThree prices carry another drug's price from the day before, so cocaine adds the previous day's weed price, heroin adds 4 × the previous day's speed price, and weed adds the previous day's ludes price.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the day's prices, every day of the passive games · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^ abcIn the probe's 100 passive games, a price event moved one drug on 688 of 3,000 days, about 23%; a cocaine bust or heroin addicts multiply its price by 5, cheap heroin, acid, or weed divide it by 5, and cheap ludes divide it by 7.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2revised
How we know
COPS MADE A BIG COKE BUST !! PRICES ARE OUTRAGEOUS !!
the event messages and the day's prices · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: 688 of 3,000 days is 23%, not one in five; the claim states the run's sample, which the deterministic probe checks exactly.
- ^A mugging in the subway divides the player's cash by a whole number from 1 to 5, rounded down.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the CASH field before and after YOU WERE MUGGED IN THE SUBWAY · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^ abOfficer Hardass and one to three deputies can chase a player who carries drugs, and never one who carries none.VerifiedDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2revised
How we know
OFFICER HARDASS AND … OF HIS DEPUTIES ARE CHASING YOU · archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: Starting finds put units in passive coats, so arrivals are counted by the coat's load on the jet in: none of 1,463 empty ones brought a chase.
- ^Dell said he had recently played a game at a friend's house that involved buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices, and that it was likely Taipan.InterviewHuffman, Wired (2021)
How we know
He said that he had recently played a game at his friend’s house that involved buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices. Dell said he could not remember which game, but that it could have likely been Taipan.
· archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^An MS-DOS Dope Wars opens by calling itself based on John E. Dell's Drug Wars and credits the Happy Hacker Foundation.VerifiedDope Wars (MS-DOS, Happy Hacker Foundation), played in emu2 · BBS Documentary library, Dopewarsrevised
How we know
Based on John E. Dell's old Drug Wars game, Dope Wars is a simulation of an imaginary drug market. … Dope Wars has been brought to you courtesy of the Happy Hacker Foundation.
opening screen · archived copy ↗ The program recieved an update from the "Happy Hacker Foundation" with the release of "Dope Wars"
· archived copy ↗ Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-27.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: The start figures come from our run (hhf-start, with the probe); the opening screen stays T2.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^dopewars's credits say it derives from an MS-DOS game of the same name by an unknown author, which was based on John E. Dell's MS-DOS game Drug Wars.Developerdopewars source
How we know
1dopewars is derived from the MS-DOS game of the same name (author unknown). ⋮ 3This is turn was based upon the MS-DOS game "Drug Wars", by John E. Dell.
AUTHORS lines 1–3 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗ 44based upon the MS-DOS game of the same name, in turn derived from "Drugdoc/index.html lines 43–45 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗ Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
- ^Jonathan Maier rewrote Drug Wars for a graphing calculator in 1993, and it spread through his school.InterviewHuffman, Wired (2021)revised
How we know
Jonathan Maier rewrote Drug Wars on his graphing calculator in 1993. … From there it spread among his friends, and then throughout the whole school.
· archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
Sources
Code
- Webb, Ben. 2026. “dopewars source code.” Commit d8bb8ee. benmwebb/dopewars @ d8bb8ee · licence, all uses
Primary
- Advance, Frame. 2026. “Drug Wars (1984), DRUGWAR.EXE played in the emu2 emulator.” Version drugwars.zip, holding DRUGWAR.EXE: 49,792 bytes, sha256 3f43f9ec88b9379c9ffa22718612bc715bd4c2b4350665ff0e94476e3239c61c. original · archived · licence, all uses
- Huffman, Zack. 2021. “The Wild Spread of Drug Wars, From Your Calculator to Your Phone.” Wired. Condé Nast. original · archived · licence, all uses
- Advance, Frame. 2026. “Dope Wars (Happy Hacker Foundation, MS-DOS), DOPEWARS.EXE played in the emu2 emulator.” Version dopewarsd.zip, holding Dopewars.exe: 66,416 bytes, sha256 7bbd1056163c257b37fe774bedc0e0e7f8ae4f2f52fe55f9f2dec0cf1bcd8983, file date 4 May 1991. original · archived · licence, all uses
Secondary
- Scott, Jason. n.d. “Programs: Doors: Dopewars.” The BBS Documentary Library. original · archived · licence, all uses