Gary Gygax, the legendary co-creator and developer of "Dungeons & Dragons," died Tuesday at the age of 69, after suffering from health problems for a long time.
Gygax is considered the "father" of role playing games, and laid the foundation for what has become one of the most lucrative and popular activies around: the fantasy video game.
The publishing company, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR), was founded by Gygax, along with Don Kaye. The first Dungeons & Dragons version was published by the company in 1974, and quickly became a rage. I know, I was one of those that immediately entered into the fascinating fantasy worlds with my friends.
While Gygax orinally believed the game would sell about 50,000 copies, over its lifetime it's estimated 20 million people have played the game.
The impact of Gygax in the fantasy genre, across all media platforms, is impossible to measure, but it is extraordinary to say the least. When you consider the billions of dollars spent on role playing, and the many other spin-off fantasy games that emerged out of this, it's quite an accomplishment by Gygax.
More information on Gygax, as it relates to his funeral, can be found at the Troll Lord message boards, said Troll Lord Games CEO Stephen Chenault.
Gygax is survived by his wife and six children.
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It’s the end of an era. No, that doesn’t have enough kick to it. A legend has fallen. Yes, that’s definitely a more suitable statement to describe the passing of Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and an icon to anyone who has ever picked up some dice.
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Farewell Gary Gygax -- Thanks For All The Adventures
Thanks for the memories, Gary.
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