Gary Gygax Dead

Dungeons & Dragons Creator Gary Gygax Dead At 69
MILWAUKEE (CBS) ― Gary Gygax, creator of the original Dungeons & Dragons fantasy game, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva, Wis. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

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People can make jokes all they want about D&D nerds, but it was Gygax's flawed, but fun game that paved the way for every RPG game out there. I'd be willing to bet that every game designer either played Dungeons and Dragons, or was inspired by it's inadequacies to make a 'better' game. D&D helped me break out of the shell that encapsulated my adolescence and gave me lifetime friends. So call me a nerd, a geek, or a dweeb, but I will mourn the passing of Gygax as I mourned Roddenberry, Kelley, Jeffries, Leonard, and Doohan. He brought happiness and fun into my life, and I hope that those closest to him can soon get beyond the pain of loss and remember with warmth the joy he brought to an entire generation...and beyond. RIP, Dungeonmaster.