Dungeons & Dragons creator dies at 69

His passing was first reported on the Troll Lord Games forums. Details of the cause of death were not released, but CNN noted
that he had been struggling with ill health for several years,
including an abdominal aneurysm, and had suffered strokes in 2004.

Gygax was involved with gaming for most of his life, forming the International Federation of Wargamers
in 1966 and then in 1967 holding a small get-together of tabletop
gamers in his basement that would eventually become known as the first Gen Con. But he would become best known for founding a company called Tactical Studies Rules, better known as TSR, and publishing the original Dungeons & Dragons in 1974.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using
medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its
oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and
eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of
whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles
southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he
hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January,
she said.

"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," Gail Gygax said. "He really enjoyed
that."