D&D creator Gary Gygax passes away at 69

by Xav de Matos { Mar 4th 2008 at 7:00PM }

The man known as the "founding father of the modern role playing game," Gary Gygax passed away this morning , March 4, at 69 years-old. Gygax, known for creating the massively popular pen-and-paper series Dungeon & Dragons, was a staple in the miniature war game scene in the late '60s and helped propel fantasy writing and creativity into what it has become today.

Although Gygax had been in poor health, suffering multiple strokes and a near-fatal heart attack, he was a mainstay on fantasy forums and gaming sites before his passing at his studio home at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin .

"I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.," Gygax once described himself during a 2004 interview with GameSpy.

Ernest Gary Gygax is survived by his wife, six children and seven grandchildren.

Tags: d-and-d, dungeons-and-dragons, industry-legend, rog, role-playing-game

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

RudyHuxtable @ Mar 4th 2008 7:27PM

A genius and an innovator.

His games may have scared my mother half to death, but to heck with her. I'll never forget playing through "Saga of the Shadowlord" and "Isle of Dread" way back when I was a geek... well, a newly christened geek, anyway.

All blessings, Gary.

stinger503 @ Mar 4th 2008 7:51PM

Gygax was hilarious in Futurama. "It's a pleasure..." rolls and reads dice "...To meet you."

NukeAssault @ Mar 4th 2008 8:11PM

lol yeah that was good sting.

RIP though. I may have never gotten into D&D mostly cause idk anyone that has it. But it sure had paved the way for rpgs.

Starsmore @ Mar 4th 2008 8:29PM

Guess he failed that Save Vs Death roll...

John @ Mar 4th 2008 8:43PM

That's 31 points towards my pool

Jonah Falcon @ Mar 4th 2008 8:47PM

Already posted the Gygax/Futurama pic at GameStooge:

http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax-69/

Ian Murray @ Mar 4th 2008 9:15PM

Gary, this next roll is for you.

RIP, sir.

CDN Crockett @ Mar 4th 2008 9:36PM

Never played D&D, yet...........

Richard Mitchell @ Mar 4th 2008 10:01PM

While I never played D&D -- my brother absolutely loved it -- it's influence is undeniable. RIP Mr. Gygax.

Ryan @ Mar 4th 2008 11:23PM

Zero hit points remaining.

Oorang @ Mar 5th 2008 12:50AM

Legend

Brian Q @ Mar 5th 2008 12:57AM

Thanks for everything, Gary. If it wasn't for you I think a major chunk of all gaming communities would be lost, and without the creation of Dungeons and Dragons, I would not have my hero in Drizzt Do'Urden.

RIP, Gary.

Jason L. @ Mar 5th 2008 1:22AM

So happy to see this site and other video gaming sites acknowledging the passing of this RPG legend.

Without him, and without D&D, I have to wonder if the RPG video game and MMORPG genre would exist at all? Whatever the case, his influence and the influence of the game he co-created, cannot be understated.

I had e-mailed back and forth with Mr Gygax a couple of times over the last ten years, and he was always quite gracious, especially considering what an icon he was. If he had an ego, you wouldn't have known it. He seemed every bit a splendid human being.

He shall be missed.