List of role-playing game designers
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This is a list of individuals who have designed one or more role-playing games, including live-action role-playing games but excluding role-playing video games (see List of video game industry people and its children for video game creators). Artists are listed separately on the annotated List of role-playing game artists.
The design of role-playing games may include the creation of game systems, game settings and scenarios for roleplaying; game designers engage in one or more of these activities as they create, revise and develop roleplaying games. For each designer, this list includes a few representative games, game lines or publications that the designer in question has created or co-authored or where they are credited with a significant contribution.
A[]
- Justin Achilli - Vampire: The Dark Ages, Victorian Age: Vampire, Vampire: The Requiem; co-creator of Exalted
- Peter Adkison - The Primal Order
- Aaron Allston - Autoduel Champions, Ghostbusters International; co-author of Champions 5th edition; contributions to Mystara, including the Hollow World Campaign Set
- Dave Allsop - SLA Industries
- Terry Amthor - Shadow World; co-author of Space Master
- Sandy Antunes - Rules to Live By (LARP), A Faery's Tale
- Dave Arneson[1]- co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (with Gary Gygax); creator of Blackmoor; co-author of Adventures in Blackmoor and Temple of the Frog
B[]
- L. Ross Babcock III - co-creator of the BattleTech setting
- Wilf K. Backhaus - co-author of Chivalry & Sorcery
- D. Vincent Baker - Dogs in the Vineyard, Apocalypse World
- Keith Baker - Eberron; contributions to Feng Shui and various d20 System publications
- Meguey Baker - Apocalypse World, 1001 Nights, a game of enticing stories, Psi-Run, Valiant Girls
- Richard Baker[2] - Alternity, Star Drive, Gamma World (7th edition)
- Cam Banks - co-author of Leverage: The Roleplaying Game and Marvel Heroic Roleplaying; contributions to the Dragonlance setting
- M. A. R. Barker - Tékumel, Empire of the Petal Throne
- Kevin Barrett - co-author of Space Master
- Wolfgang Baur - co-creator of Dark•Matter; contributions to various TSR settings
- Chris Birch - co-author of Starblazer Adventures, Legends of Anglerre
- Jason L Blair - Little Fears
- Anders Blixt - Drakar och Demoner 2nd edition
- Brian Blume - Boot Hill
- Emily Care Boss - Breaking the Ice, Under My Skin, Playing With Intent LARP; co-creator of Bubblegumshoe
- Rob Boyle - Shadowrun 4th Edition, Eclipse Phase
- Mike Breault - contributions to various TSR settings
- Bill Bridges - Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Mage: The Awakening, Promethean: The Created, Passion Play LARP; co-creator of Fading Suns
- Anne Brown - contributions to various TSR settings
- Timothy Brown - 2300 AD; co-author of Dark Sun
- Phil Brucato - Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, Deliria: Faerie Tales for a New Millennium; contributions to Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Mage: The Ascension
- Jason Bulmahn - Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
C[]
- Brian Campbell - contributions to various World of Darkness settings
- C.J. Carella - WitchCraft, Armageddon: The End Times, Buffy, Angel, Unisystem
- Mike Carr - In Search of the Unknown; contributions to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
- Marcelo Cassaro - Street Fighter RPG Brazil
- Frank Chadwick - Twilight: 2000, 2300 AD, Space: 1889, Dark Conspiracy
- Coleman Charlton - Rolemaster, MERP
- Bob Charrette - co-author of Bushido, Aftermath!, Daredevils, Shadowrun
- David Chart - Ars Magica 5th edition
- Deborah Teramis Christian - contributions to various TSR settings
- Sam Chupp - co-creator of Wraith: the Oblivion and Changeling: The Dreaming
- Ken Cliffe - Ars Magica 3rd edition; World of Darkness 2004 edition; co-creator of Trinity and Hunter: The Reckoning
- Bill Coffin - Systems Failure, Septimus
- Andy Collins - Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition
- David "Zeb" Cook - Dwellers of the Forbidden City, Slave Pits of the Undercity, Amazing Engine system, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
- Monte Cook - Ptolus, Numenera; co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition,
- Sue Weinlein Cook - SAGA System
- Bruce Cordell - many Dungeons & Dragons supplements, notably Return to the Tomb of Horrors and the Expanded Psionics Handbook
- Greg Costikyan[3] - creator of Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game and Violence; co-creator of Toon and Paranoia
- Croc - In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas, Stella Inquisitorus
- N. Robin Crossby - Hârn, HarnMaster
D[]
- Liz Danforth - Tunnels & Trolls, fifth and subsequent editions
- Richard Dansky - various World of Darkness settings
- Graeme Davis - Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Mind's Eye Theatre LARP
- Tim Dedopulos - contributions to Unknown Armies and Hunter: The Reckoning
- Jeff Dee - Villains and Vigilantes
- Marcelo Del Debbio - Arkanun, Trevas, RPGQuest (Brazilian RPGs)
- Troy Denning - Chill 2nd edition; co-author of Dark Sun
- Dennis Detwiller[2] - co-author of Delta Green, Godlike and Nemesis
- Joe Dever - Lone Wolf, Greystar, Freeway Warrior
- Larry DiTillio - Masks of Nyarlathotep
- Michael Dobson - contributions to various TSR settings
- Rob Donoghue - co-author of Leverage: The Roleplaying Game, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying and Spirit of the Century
- Tom Dowd - Mind's Eye Theatre LARP, co-author of Shadowrun, contributions to the Storyteller system
- Ann Dupuis - contributions to GURPS and Fudge
E[]
- Ron Edwards[4] - creator of Sorcerer RPG, ELFS, Trollbabe, It Was a Mutual Decision, Spione - Story Now in Cold War Berlin, S/Lay w/me
F[]
- Nigel Findley - Greyspace, GURPS Illuminati; contributions to Shadowrun
- John M. Ford - GURPS Time Travel; The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues and other contributions to Paranoia
G[]
- Mark Galeotti - Mythic Russia, The Unspoken Word
- Richard Garfinkle - Spellcrafter
- Marc Gascoigne - Judge Dredd: The Role-Playing Game, Advanced Fighting Fantasy gamebooks
- Dan Gelber - co-creator of Paranoia and Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game
- Lee Gold - Lands of Adventure, GURPS Japan
- Eric Goldberg - Commando, DragonQuest; co-creator of Paranoia
- Joseph Goodman - Dungeon Crawl Classics, Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game
- Greg Gorden - DC Heroes, Earthdawn; co-author of TORG; contributions to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game
- Geoffrey C. Grabowski - Exalted 3rd edition; contributions to Everway and Kindred of the East
- Andrew Greenberg - Vampire: The Masquerade developer; co-creator of Fading Suns; creator of Rapture: The Second Coming
- Daniel Greenberg - contributions to Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse
- Ed Greenwood - Forgotten Realms
- Jeff Grubb - Marvel Super Heroes, Manual of the Planes, Spelljammer, d20 Modern; contributions to the Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms settings
- Gary Gygax - co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (with Dave Arneson); creator of Queen of the Spiders, Tomb of Horrors, and Greyhawk; designer of Dangerous Journeys and Lejendary Adventure
H[]
- David A. Hargrave - Arduin, Star Rovers
- Jess Hartley - contributions to World of Darkness, notably Changeling: The Lost
- Robert Hatch - Kindred of the East; co-creator of Trinity, Aberrant, and Exalted
- Andria Hayday - Darklords; contributions to various TSR settings
- Rob Heinsoo - Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition; co-creator of 13th Age
- Steve Henderson - Worlds of Wonder, Balastor's Barracks; co-author of RuneQuest and Superworld
- Shane Lacy Hensley - Deadlands, Savage Worlds
- Keith Herber - Fungi from Yuggoth, Trail of Tsathogghua, Spawn of Azathoth and other contributions to Call of Cthulhu
- Tracy Hickman - Dragonlance, Ravenloft
- Fred Hicks - Don't Rest Your Head; co-author of Spirit of the Century
- Will Hindmarch - Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom, Vampire: The Requiem; co-author of Eternal Lies
- Kenneth Hite - GURPS Infinite Worlds, Trail of Cthulhu, Night's Black Agents, Vampire: the Masquerade 5th edition; Fall of Delta Green; co-author of Bubblegumshoe
- John Eric Holmes - Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
- Miranda Horner - contributions to Bloodshadows and Shatterzone
- Conrad Hubbard - contributions to the World of Darkness settings and Exalted
- Paul Hume - co-author of Bushido, Aftermath!, Daredevils, Shadowrun
I[]
J[]
- Steve Jackson (Steve Jackson Games) - The Fantasy Trip, GURPS, Yrth
- Steve Jackson (Games Workshop) - Fighting Fantasy gamebooks
- James Jacobs - contributions to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
- Matt James - Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale and other supplements for Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder
- Jennell Jaquays - Dark Tower, Caverns of Thracia; co-author of Griffin Mountain
- Harold Johnson - co-author of The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan and Secret of the Slavers Stockade; contributions to various TSR settings
- Gunilla Jonsson - co-author of Mutant and Kult
K[]
- Steve Kenson - Mutants & Masterminds, Freedom City; co-creator of Silver Age Sentinels and Blue Rose
- Adam Koebel - co-author of Dungeon World
- Jeff Koke - GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade, GURPS Black Ops
- Rudy Kraft - co-author of Griffin Mountain; other contributions to RuneQuest
- Rick Krebs - Gangbusters
- Heike A. Kubasch - Angmar, HARP
- Christopher Kubasik - contributions to TORG, Shadowrun and Earthdawn
- Robert J. Kuntz - co-author of Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes
L[]
- David Ladyman - Chill, GURPS The Prisoner
- Lenard Lakofka - The Secret of Bone Hill, The Assassin's Knot
- Sage LaTorra - co-author of Dungeon World
- Robin D. Laws - Feng Shui, HeroQuest, Dying Earth Roleplaying Game, The Esoterrorists and other GUMSHOE games, Hillfolk, The Yellow King Roleplaying Game
- Jeff R. Leason - co-author of The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan; contributions to Chill
- Ken Lightner - Real-Life Roleplaying Series for the d20 System
- Nicole Lindroos - contributions to Everway and Unknown Armies
- Ian Livingstone - Fighting Fantasy gamebooks
- Steve Long - Dark Champions, Hero System 5th and 6th editions, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Role Playing Game, Star Trek Roleplaying Game, The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game
- James Lowder - Pulp Cthulhu
M[]
- George MacDonald - co-creator of Champions (role-playing game) and the Hero System
- Mark C. MacKinnon - Big Eyes, Small Mouth, The Sailor Moon Role-playing Game and Sourcebook; co-author of Silver Age Sentinels
- Jeff Mackintosh - co-author of Silver Age Sentinels
- Ari Marmell - contributions to Scarred Lands and Vampire: The Masquerade
- Julia Martin - co-author of Faiths & Avatars; contributions to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
- Colin McComb - co-author of the Birthright Campaign Setting; contributions to various TSR settings
- Angel Leigh McCoy - contributions to Mage: The Ascension and Changeling: The Dreaming
- Elizabeth McCoy - co-author of GURPS In Nomine and GURPS Illuminati University
- Anne Gray McCready - Mystery of the Snow Pearls, Red Sonja Unconquered
- Phil Masters - GURPS Castle Falkenstein, Hellboy Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game; GURPS Discworld (with Terry Pratchett),
- Mike Mearls - Iron Heroes, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition
- Frank Mentzer - D&D Basic Set third edition; co-author of Temple of Elemental Evil
- Marc W. Miller - various incarnations of Traveller
- Steve Miller - contributions to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, including Into the Dragon's Lair
- Kim Mohan - Cyborg Commando, Wilderness Survival Guide for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons; also editor of Dragon magazine
- Tom Moldvay - Lords of Creation, D&D Basic Set second edition, Castle Amber; co-creator of Isle of Dread, Mystara
- Erik Mona - contributions to the Greyhawk setting: also editor of Dragon and Dungeon magazines
- Christian Moore - Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth; co-author of Star Trek: The Next Generation Role-playing Game
- James A. Moore - contributions to various World of Darkness games
- Roger E. Moore - Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins; also editor of Dragon magazine
- Jenna K. Moran - Nobilis, The Game of Powers (LARP), Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine
- Jason Morningstar - Durance, Grey Ranks, Fiasco
- Graeme Morris - contributions to various TSR settings
- Josh Mosqueira - Constantinople by Night, Montreal by Night; co-author of Tribe 8
N[]
- Bruce Nesmith - Gamma World 4th edition; co-author of Lankhmar – City of Adventure; contributions to the Dragonlance and Ravenloft settings
- Douglas Niles - Star Frontiers, Top Secret/S.I., Against the Cult of the Reptile God; co-author of Lankhmar – City of Adventure; contributions to the Dragonlance setting
- Clinton R. Nixon - The Shadow of Yesterday, Donjon, Paladin
- Mike Nystul - The Whispering Vault
O[]
P[]
- Blaine Pardoe - Domination
- Derek Pearcy - In Nomine
- Steve Perrin - main author of RuneQuest, the Basic Role-Playing system and Steve Perrin's Quest Rules; co-author of Superworld
- Michael Petersén - co-author of Mutant and Kult
- Sandy Petersen - main author of Call of Cthulhu; co-author of RuneQuest and Ghostbusters
- Steve Peterson - co-creator of Champions, the Hero System and the Fuzion system
- John R. Phythyon, Jr. - co-author of Heaven & Earth and Ghost Dog
- Jon Pickens - Arms and Equipment Guide for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd edition
- Mike Pohjola - Star Wreck Roleplaying Game, Age of the Tempest, Turku School experimental LARP
- Mike Pondsmith - Mekton, Cyberpunk, Castle Falkenstein; co-creator of the Fuzion system
- Greg Porter - TimeLords, CORPS, EABA
- Chris Pramas - Dragon Age, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd edition, Freeport setting
- Anthony Pryor - contributions to various TSR settings
- David L. Pulver - Transhuman Space, GURPS Reign of Steel, GURPS Technomancer; co-author of Ghost Dog; system contributions to GURPS and Tri-Stat dX
- Sean Punch - GURPS 4th edition, GURPS Lite
R[]
- Merle M. Rasmussen - Top Secret
- A. Mark Ratner - Space Marines, co-author of Space Opera
- John D. Rateliff - The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game
- Mark Rein·Hagen - Vampire: The Masquerade and other World of Darkness games; the Storyteller system; co-creator of Ars Magica
- Sean K. Reynolds - contributions to Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms and other TSR settings.
- Ken Rolston - co-author of Lankhmar – City of Adventure; contributions to Paranoia, Star Wars, RuneQuest and Mystara
- Aaron S. Rosenberg - Deryni Adventure Game
- S. John Ross - Uresia: Grave of Heaven, Risus; co-author of GURPS Black Ops
- Marcus Rowland - Forgotten Futures, Diana: Warrior Princess, The Original Flatland Role Playing Game
S[]
- Ken St. Andre - Tunnels & Trolls, Starfaring, Monsters! Monsters!
- R.A. Salvatore - Menzoberranzan
- Carl Sargent - contributions to Greyhawk and Warhammer settings
- Steven Schend[5] - contributions to various TSR settings
- Lawrence Schick - White Plume Mountain, In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords; co-creator of Mystara
- Mike Selinker - co-author of Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game
- Kevin Siembieda - The Mechanoid Invasion, Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Heroes Unlimited, Robotech, Rifts
- Edward E. Simbalist - co-author of Space Opera and Chivalry & Sorcery
- - Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Werewolf: The Wild West, Werewolf: The Forsaken, Changeling: The Lost, Geist: The Sin-Eaters
- Bill Slavicsek - Alternity, d20 Modern, Star Wars Roleplaying Game; co-author of TORG, contributions to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
- John Snead - co-creator of Blue Rose; contributions to Exalted, Trinity and Mage: The Awakening
- Lucien Soulban - Heaven & Earth, Orpheus
- Warren Spector - co-author of TOON and Send in the Clones
- Michael Stackpole - Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes
- Greg Stafford - creator of the Glorantha setting, co-author of RuneQuest and designer of the Arthurian RPGs Pendragon and Prince Valiant: The Story-Telling Game
- Stan! - principal designer for d20 Modern; co-author of Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game
- Ed Stark - MasterBook system, Paranoia "fifth edition"; contributions to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
- Lisa J. Steele, co-author of Bubblegumshoe
- Greg Stolze - Usagi Yojimbo RPG, REIGN, Better Angels; co-author of Unknown Armies, Godlike and the Delta Green RPG
- CA Suleiman - Mummy: The Resurrection, Vampire: The Requiem, Mummy: The Curse
T[]
- Rodney Thompson - d20 Future; contributions to Star Wars Roleplaying Game, Dark Sun
- Jeff Tidball - Ars Magica 4th edition; Eternal Lies
- Mike Tinney - Mind's Eye Theatre LARP
- Adam Tinworth - Demon: The Fallen, Werewolf: The Forsaken; contributions to Hunter: The Reckoning
- Richard Tucholka - Fringeworthy, Bureau 13
- Jonathan Tweet - Over the Edge, Everway; co-creator of Ars Magica, Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition and 13th Age
- John Scott Tynes - Puppetland, The Golden Dawn; co-creator of Delta Green and Unknown Armies,
U[]
- Chad Underkoffler - Dead Inside, Truth & Justice, The Zorcerer of Zo, Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies
V[]
- Monica Valentinelli - Firefly Role-Playing Game
- Michael J. Varhola - H.G. Wells' Little Orc Wars
- Allen Varney - the 2004 edition of Paranoia for Mongoose Publishing; co-author of Send in the Clones; contributions to the Hollow World setting for Mystara
- George Vasilakos - Conspiracy X, All Flesh Must Be Eaten
W[]
- James Wallis - The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen
- James M. Ward - Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World; co-author of Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes
- Darren Watts - co-author of Champions 5th edition
- Margaret Weis - Dragonlance
- Jordan Weisman - co-creator of the BattleTech setting
- Jean Wells - Palace of the Silver Princess
- David Wesely - Braunstein games
- John Wick - Legend of the Five Rings, Orkworld; co-creator of 7th Sea
- Steve Wieck - co-creator of Exalted, Mage: the Ascension and other World of Darkness games
- Stewart Wieck - co-creator of Mage: the Ascension, Hunter: The Reckoning and other World of Darkness games
- Chris Wiese - contributions to Fading Suns
- Skip Williams co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition
- Walter Jon Williams - Privateers & Gentlemen
- Lynn Willis - co-author of RuneQuest, Basic Role-Playing, Stormbringer, Call of Cthulhu and Ghostbusters
- Kevin Wilson - Spycraft; co-creator of 7th Sea
- Ray Winninger - Underground
- Steve Winter - co-author of Marvel Super Heroes
- Loren Wiseman - author of GURPS Traveller; contributions to Traveller
- Teeuwynn Woodruff - The World of Species for the MasterBook system; World of Darkness: Gypsies; contributions to Bloodshadows and the Ravenloft setting
- Erick Wujcik - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness, After the Bomb, Ninjas & Superspies, Amber Diceless Role-Playing
- James Wyatt - Oriental Adventures for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
Y[]
- Mike Young - Rules to Live By LARP
References[]
- ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-075-5.
- ^ a b Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '90s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-084-7.
- ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '80s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-081-6.
- ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '00s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-087-8.
- ^ Kenson, Stephen (August 1999). "Profiles: Steven Schend". Dragon. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast (#262): 112.
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