Gary Gygax, co-creator of the famous Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game has succumbed to health problems last Tuesday at his Lake Geneva residence.  Apart from his wife, Gygax is survived by his six children.  He was 69 years old.

Gygax has been a major influence in today’s video games.  His creations have been the basis of so many games around today.  He really leaves us a great legacy of  creativity and imagination and will continue to live on his works. 

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using a combination of medieval characters and mythical creatures.  The game became a hit and was later adapted into video games, books and movies.

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and play-out their fantasies in a world ruled by complicated rules.  It spawned so many copycat games with its popularity.  Until now, a whole genre of computer games based on D&D is still growing in popularity.

He maintained close ties to fans of the game.  His house in Lake Geneva has become a frequent stop for enthusiasts.  Even though his health was beginning to decline, he would still host games.  In fact, he has been doing this as recent as January according to his wife.

“It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them,” Gygax said. “He really enjoyed that.”

No arrangements regarding his funeral have been announced.

[Source: Associated Press]

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