Photo: Kevin McColl / CC BY 2.5 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Dave Arneson was born in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States on October 1, 1947. Dave Arneson was listed as a role-playing game designer and board game designer. Death is recorded on April 7, 2009, at the age of 61. Schooling on record includes University of Minnesota. Notable works include Blackmoor and Dungeons & Dragons.
My Take
Dave Arneson is, to me, one of the quiet architects of modern play. Co-creating Dungeons & Dragons with Gary Gygax in early-1970s Minnesota, he helped invent the very grammar of role-playing that now underpins games, fiction and improvised storytelling worldwide. What moves me is the bittersweet shape of his legacy: for years he received less credit than his collaborator, yet he kept nurturing his own world of Blackmoor with evident love. He died in 2009, but the seeds of imagination he planted still sprout on tabletops everywhere. He deserves to be remembered as a true originator.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dave Arneson
- Name (Japanese)
- デイヴ・アーンソン
- Reading
- でいゔ・あーんそん
- Born
- October 1, 1947 – April 7, 2009
- Origin
- Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
- Occupation
- game designer / role-playing game designer / board game designer
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Boar
2. Background
- University
- University of Minnesota
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | Blackmoor |
| Notable work | Dungeons & Dragons |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://blackmoorcastle.com
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave%20Arneson
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%87%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B4%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8D%E3%82%BD%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1381
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Dave Arneson born?
Dave Arneson was born on October 1, 1947.
When did Dave Arneson die?
Dave Arneson died on April 7, 2009, aged 61.
Where was Dave Arneson from?
Dave Arneson was from Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States.
What did Dave Arneson do?
Dave Arneson worked as game designer, role-playing game designer, board game designer.
Where did Dave Arneson study?
Dave Arneson attended University of Minnesota.
What was Dave Arneson known for?
Dave Arneson's notable works include Blackmoor, Dungeons & Dragons.
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