Happy Gary Gygax Day 2023!

Happiest of birthdays to Gary Gygax, Father of Dungeons and Dragons! Today we remember the man that created the game we all love.

In 1974, Gygax, along with co-creator Dave Arneson, released the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons, up to that point there had never been anything like it. It was a “Fantasy” game, not a war game. And the world of countless nerds and geeks have never been the same since then.

He and his two partners invested $1000 in the original game, releasing only 1,000 copies in the first year. Forty-Nine years later, many of us around the world have gathered with friends at D&D tables for a game of true adventure, and most importantly imagination!

n 2008, after suffering two strokes and narrowly avoiding a subsequent heart attack in 2004, Gary passed away due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm. At Gen Con the same year, a plaque dedicated to Gary was created and read:

“He was the first DM, he taught us to roll the dice. He opened the door to new worlds. His work shaped our industry. He brought us Gen Con, for this we thank him. In fond memory of Gary Gygax, and in celebration of his spirit and accomplishments.”

So happy birthday, Gary Gygax! You are missed, but your legacy lives on at the kitchen tables and in the basements of fantasy nerds worldwide!