The
redoubtable legend of gaming and fantasy, Ernest Gary Gygax, passed away
on the morning of March 4,
2008 at his family home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The
co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, co-founder of
Tactical Studies Rules, and founder of Gen Con, Gary’s
mark on the world of gaming will forever remain
far-reaching and impassable.
Born Ernest Gary Gygax, Gary began his life-long love
for games with chess and pinochle as a child, along
with traditional play activities. As he grew, his
imagination evolved these childhood games into early
conceptions of modern live-action role-playing. Later,
his interest focused on science fiction and war games,
particularly Ray Bradbury and Gettysburg from Avalon
Hill, respectively.
In 1966, Gary helped develop one of the first
large-scale gaming organizations ever, the short-lived
International Federation of Wargamers, which brought
together local wargaming groups and arranged them into
chapters of special interests. The next year, this
community gathered for the preamble of gaming
conventions, Gen Con 0. Now the largest gaming
convention in the hemisphere, Gen Con celebrated its
40th year in 2007, with a red carpet reception for its
renowned guest of honor, Mr. Gygax.
Gary’s legacy in game design took root in the ‘70s
with his authoring of Chainmail in 1971, co-written
with friend Jeff Perren. This miniatures game would go
on to become the forefather of role-playing games,
Dungeons & Dragons. In 1973, Gary and long-time friend
Don Kaye founded the publishing company Tactical
Studies Rules, under which they released the first
edition of D&D almost three and a half decades ago.
After leaving TSR in 1985, Gary went on to write
several more game systems as well as a successful
string of fantasy novels including the Greyhawk series
and the Gord of the Rogue Adventures. In 2005, Gary
returned to the familiar formats of classic D&D with
his creation of Castles & Crusades, released by Troll
Lord Games.
Gary’s last few years kept him consistently active as
he continued to engage in Q & A Forums, guest
appearances, semi-retirement, and Thursday evening
game nights with Gamma World creator James M. Ward. A
gamer to the very end, Gary leaves us with these
humble words: “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.”
The immortalized father of role-playing, Gary takes
with him a lifetime of gaming and the respect and
admiration of fans worldwide. Honored time and again
throughout conventions and publications, his awards
include "Outstanding Designer & Writer" from the
Strategists Club, “Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame” from
the Origins Game Fair, “Best Games Inventor” four
years in a row by Games Day, and a shared position as
#18 with J.R.R. Tolkien on "GameSpy's 30 Most
Influential People in Gaming." His recognitions
further include a mention in the Oxford English
Dictionary’s entry for Dungeons & Dragons as well as
the eponym of the bacteria strain Arthronema gygaxiana
sp nov UTCC393. Also, recent strips of the webcomics
Order of the Stick and Full Frontal Nerdity give
special recognition to the passing of our beloved game
master.
Gary leaves behind his wife of more than 20 years,
Gail Carpenter, and six children, the first five of
whom come from his first marriage with Mary Jo Gygax.
The thoughts and well-wishes of fans, admirers, and
daydreamers everywhere are with Gary and his family.
“
Thanks for saving us a place at the gaming table.”– Aaron
Williams