Dungeons & Dragons creator dies

  • By Crave.com's Will Greenwald with Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
  • Posted Mar 5, 2008 4:24 am AEST

Gary Gygax, cocreator of the pen-and-paper game that directly spawned Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights and influenced the entire RPG genre, has died at age 69.

Before there were any role-playing video games, there were pen-and-paper role-playing games. This week brings the sad news that one of the founders of the most famous analog RPG has passed way. Gary Gygax, cocreator of Dungeons & Dragons, died on Tuesday at the age of 69. He had suffered from heart problems.

Gary Gygax: 1938-2008
(photo: Alan De Smet)

The news was first announced on the forums of Troll Lord Games, the publisher of Gygax's most recent works. It has since been directly confirmed by the company, which will post an announcement on its Web site later today.

Gygax was best known for helping create Dungeons & Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and pioneered tabletop RPGs. The first D&D rulebooks were released in 1974 by TSR, Inc., the tabletop RPG company Gygax founded with Don Kaye the year prior. Since then, there have been three full-fledged reworkings of D&D, numerous revisions and updates, and dozens of additional rulebooks, settings, and campaigns.

Since TSR was purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997, the game has seen even more expansions and updates. The company released Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition in 2000, and Dungeons & Dragons 4.0 is scheduled to ship this coming June. Although Gygax hadn't had much direct involvement with D&D for many years, he developed and contributed to many RPGs, such as Gary Gygax's Fantasy Worlds from Troll Lord Games.

If not for Gygax's contributions, video games would look much different than they do today. D&D's systems and mythos led directly to many marquee video game RPGs, including the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights series from BioWare. Its influence can also be seen in many other modern fantasy RPGs, including The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and World of Warcraft. Another of TSR's pen-and-paper RPGs, Star Frontiers, was the precursor to many science fiction RPGs, such as Mass Effect.

681 Comments

  • Suicide-Panda

    Posted Jun 7, 2009 6:25 am PT

    R.I.P

  • Dirael

    Posted May 10, 2009 10:20 am PT

    Dear Lord... He was a great man. Done so much...

    Rest in peace.

  • Mr_Versipellis

    Posted Feb 5, 2009 6:06 pm PT

    Awwwww... Tragic...
    He's done so much for RPGs...

  • lhasalovers

    Posted Feb 4, 2009 6:54 pm PT

    Dear GameSpot Frazer Here I Am So So Very Sorry To That Mr Gray Gygax Has Passed away? email me at fjenkins10@aol.com ps agine I Am Verry Sorry

  • Australians

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 9:38 pm PT

    you have made gaming more fun by helping create a game that created a revolution in gaming history as you are one of the oldest games and most famous game creater may you Rest In Peace

  • tehpurplepills

    Posted Jan 3, 2009 11:40 pm PT

    the age that he died at is the closest a dungeion and dragons player will ever get to s**

  • Keitha313 posted Dec 6, 2008 10:44 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Keitha313

    Posted Dec 6, 2008 10:44 am PT (hide)

    Well he helped create one good game and that was it big whoop... Its a gaming site not a memorial site sort your prioritys out gamespot!!.

  • naysayers

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:53 am PT

    i cant speak...hmm'...see you on the next life'....you ROCK!!!!

  • Decardcain

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:40 am PT

    you create a mythology ... we continue a legend ... R.P.G RULES bro....

  • gexicus

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 5:51 pm PT

    sorry for bumpin this...but i only found out recently. Roll 'Ice Please

  • Star_Jump

    Posted Sep 6, 2008 3:15 pm PT

    RIP Gary, your contribution to the world of games has been unquestionable and timeless.

  • CCyberDDemon

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    so long gary ..thankyou for the fun. if you find tolkien arround there give him our regards. long live the phantasy world. lets slay some goblins

  • bladezguy posted Aug 3, 2008 7:23 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    bladezguy

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 7:23 pm PT (hide)

    Rest in peace but some of his games are for losers that have no life. Mass effect is really good and oblivion is awesome. But I don't really like the others much.

  • migduvednok

    Posted Jul 28, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    An amazing effort, being a single young guy in the late 60's, founding such a large innovating entertainment concept. Deepest of respects.

  • Xeuton_Mojukai

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 11:59 am PT

    It isn't just western RPG's that Gary influenced.

    It's hardly a secret that Final Fantasy's original system was heavily inspired by the D&D ruleset. Also, the entire idea of ability scores, which are seen in more games than one might care to count, from Lord of the RIngs: The Return of the King, all the way to Team Fortress 2.

    I hope he brings as much joy and innovation to the next world as he has to this one. Otherwise, it will feel very boring once we all get there.

  • jason23456

    Posted Jul 13, 2008 10:40 am PT

    No D&D = No D2

    Thanks man

  • Faith256

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:50 pm PT

    Man thats really sad, D&D was the basis for all the roleplaying games of today...ahmmm 69.

  • Nocturnal_Speed

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 5:42 pm PT

    Thanks for everything you've accomplished here on earth and how you changed the face of gaming. With out you i wouldn't have been able to enjoy all the great RPG's that touched me dearly. May god bless you and much love from all your fans.

  • cengi

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 12:57 pm PT

    RIP dude, hope you having fun up there

  • cheatcommando

    Posted Jun 16, 2008 8:35 am PT

    That's a darn shame. Almost every RPG I play was influenced by this guy. I'll continue to play them in his honor.

  • Count_MarCus

    Posted May 25, 2008 7:17 am PT

    Oh dear, RIP. We people will never forget you and effort to continue your struggle!
    -Vz

  • WitteKraai

    Posted May 22, 2008 9:17 am PT

    4TH EDITION THIS SUMMER, LET US CAMPAIGN IN HIS MEMORY! Seriously, remember him in your next campaign somehow.

  • Succumbus

    Posted May 19, 2008 8:44 pm PT

    We'll miss you...

  • Revliv

    Posted May 13, 2008 6:33 pm PT

    Game world lost one of his master. Without him, there's no DnD, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and other RPG game. GBU Mr. Gygax

  • d-rtyboy

    Posted Apr 30, 2008 5:17 pm PT

    I vote for a National Gary Gygax Day.

  • snakes3425

    Posted Apr 24, 2008 1:18 am PT

    The world has lost a great artist and storyteller. RIP Gary Gygax

  • lt411

    Posted Apr 18, 2008 6:52 pm PT

    The original Dungeon Master has enriched my life. God bless you Gary Gygax. I hope to see you on the other side.

  • jacek007

    Posted Apr 17, 2008 12:12 am PT

    you made my life better and i wish you'r sole rest in peace

  • dvros

    Posted Apr 13, 2008 12:54 pm PT

    o.O "Oh noes!"

  • madaseyer

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 10:10 pm PT

    R.I.P.Gygax
    may his soul rest with god...

  • josh868

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 5:09 pm PT

    Gary's rolling critical hits in that big campaign in the sky. We have so much to thank him for.

  • cursedsolaris

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 6:14 pm PT

    We Gamers will forever be in your debt, Gary. Thank you for sharing your world with us and allowing us to explore it with you.

  • Wolfe13

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 7:22 am PT

    Thanks for making my life better, goodbye... Howl !!!

  • jorba

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:48 am PT

    RIP Gygax

  • FatalErr

    Posted Mar 18, 2008 8:25 am PT

    Thank you for making RPG's experiences possible, my condolenses to his family.

  • desolation00

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 9:17 pm PT

    He's rolling d20's with God now.

  • BloodMist

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 5:50 pm PT

    Damn that's too bad, RIP Gygax, you will live forever on in your appearance on Futurama.

  • alexthegreat38

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 4:33 pm PT

    He rolled a 1 on his Fortitude Save.

  • sunilian

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 7:02 am PT

    may his soul rest in peace

  • godvigor

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 11:31 pm PT

    may you live on in or hearts oh great god of rpg's

  • King_Jeremy_77

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 7:36 am PT

    This news still saddens me.

  • veni-vidi-vici

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 5:20 am PT

    We owe him so much.

  • Darkanagar

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:08 pm PT

    RIP Gary Gynax

    Thank you for bringing great rpgs to the world that touched my heart and gave me hours of entertainment that i will never forget.

  • andremafia

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 7:38 pm PT

    RIP

  • TehEliteElite

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    Poor Gynax...

  • BangsLiekWhoa

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 6:35 pm PT

    he truly created a great system for gamers. and anyone who hasn't played pen and paper D&D should be ashamed of themselves as a gamer.

  • Hadoki

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 5:45 pm PT

    God Bless You Old One! Where you go I hope always continues creating great adventures and always giving inspiration the future generations. Very Thanks, and go in peace

  • VercettiTommyy

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 11:43 am PT

    RIP ,you will not be forgotten ...

  • VercettiTommyy

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 11:42 am PT

    RIP ,you will not be forgotten ...

  • Shivercraft

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 8:17 am PT

    He fumbled a save check.

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