Gary Gygax

Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author, best known for co-creating the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with Dave Arneson. In the 1960s, Gygax established wargaming clubs and founded the Gen Con gaming convention. He co-founded Tactical Studies Rules (TSR, Inc.) in 1973 and published the influential game Chainmail in 1971. Gygax and Arneson created D&D in 1974, building upon Chainmail and incorporating elements of fantasy stories. He also founded The Dragon magazine in the same year. Gygax later developed the more comprehensive Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. He authored manuals and adventure modules for the game system, leaving a lasting impact on the tabletop gaming industry.