Ernie Gygax Jr., the son of Gary Gygax and an early playtester of the game that would eventually become Dungeons & Dragons, has passed away after a battle with health issues. His brother, Luke, confirmed the news on Facebook.

Gygax Jr. made significant contributions to the early development of Dungeons & Dragons as a playtester for his father’s early versions of the game. One of his notable contributions was the introduction of the character Tenser, a Wizard and an anagram of “Ernest”, who would become a prominent figure in the world of Greyhawk. Tenser was Gygax Jr.’s first player character and would go on to be a powerful archmage and frequent ally of Bigby and Mordenkainen. Several spells in the current version of D&D, including “Tenser’s Floating Disk” and “Tenser’s Transformation“, were named after the character.

Gygax Jr. was also the first manager of the Dungeon Hobby Shop in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and later published Gygax Magazine with his brother Luke as part of a revived TSR in 2012. However, he left the company after the closure of Gygax Magazine due to legal disputes with Gail Gygax, Gary Gygax’s second wife. In 2021, Gygax Jr. helped found a third company called TSR, alongside Justin LaNasa and Stephen Dinehart.

During this time, Gygax Jr. faced criticism for making racist and transphobic remarks during public appearances to promote the third TSR, which was already embroiled in a dispute with the second TSR over the use of the company’s name. He also criticized Wizards of the Coast’s ownership of Dungeons & Dragons and accused the publisher of giving in to pressure to address the game’s historic relationship with racial stereotypes. The second TSR, managed by Jayson Elliot, publicly distanced itself from Gygax Jr. and the third TSR, and Gygax Jr. left social media after issuing an apology.

According to Luke Gygax, his brother was always supportive of young gamers and encouraged them to think for themselves. “He treated them as gamers who could figure out a way through the challenges and he didn’t pull any punches,” Luke wrote in a tribute on Facebook. “Those young folks loved the game and would come and talk and game with Ernie often. He kept that open and friendly demeanor all through his life.”

Gygax Jr. is survived by his wife Donna, whom he married last year, his brother Luke, and three sisters, Elise, Heidi, and Cindy.

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