27 July is Gary Gygax Day. Observed on Gygax's birthday, it is an opportunity for fans pay tribute to the father of the modern RPG.
Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone first met Gary Gygax when Games Workshop and TSR were just starting out. Gary Gygax happened to see one of the free copies of Owl & Weasel, Games Workshop's first magazine. Seeking outlets for his new game, he wrote to the budding entrepreneurs, and told them about his product. Intrigued, Livingstone and Jackson gave him a call and ordered six copies of Dungeons & Dragons. (They would have ordered more, but Gygax only had six copies to sell.)
Jackson and Livingstone thought they were negotiating with a new, successful and innovative games company, selling products all over the States. Gygax thought he was dealing with a top UK games distribution company. The truth was, it was one guy in his flat selling some stuff to a couple of other guys in their flat. As Livingstone put it to Gygax some years later, it was basically two role-players role-playing at being businessmen.
The three remained good friends until Gygax passed away in 2008. When Wizard Books republished Temple of Terror in 2004, Ian Livingstone wrote a new dedication for the book:
You can read more about Jackson and Livingstone's interactions with Gary Gygax in Dice Men: The Origin Story of Games Workshop.
Today, also marks six years since Nomad Games released Fighting Fantasy Legends on Steam. Right now you can buy the Fighting Fantasy - Collection Bundle (which includes Fighting Fantasy Legends and the Deathtrap Dungeon Trilogy) at a saving of 15%. To purchase this bundle, either click this link or the image below.
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