PopTen's Top 10 Geek Gods Includes Gygax, Salvatore, and Livingstone

PopTen posted a list of the Top 10 Geek Gods, and with entries like Gary Gygax, Ian Livingstone, and R.A. Salvatore, the tabletop gaming industry is well represented, joining literary luminaries like Tolkien, LeGuin, and Howard, or cinematic creators like George Lucas. It's a fun list, but who would you have included in a tabletop gaming list?

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The PopTen list:

• H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds, etc.)
• J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)
• Robert E. Howard (Conan the Barbarian)
• Ralph Baer (first home video game console)
• Ursula K. LeGuin (Earthsea)
• Gary Gygax (Dungeons & Dragons)
• George Lucas (Star Wars)
• Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson*, John Peake (PopTen calls them "anonymous", but by name)
• R.A. Salvatore (a Drizzt)
• Richard Garfield (Magic: the Gathering)

*No, the other Steve Jackson

 

[Shasarak]

Why is Salvatore listed on the same list as Tolkien; really? One is a 2-bit fantasy writer, the other a linguist who practically invented the fantasy genre. Even Martin and Sanderson have more right to be on a top 10 than Salvatore.

How could you rank Martin? Has he even finished a series?

 

[Morrus]

How could you rank Martin? Has he even finished a series?

I expect he’s better known than many others on the list.

 

[Shasarak]

I expect he’s better known than many others on the list.

Maybe for his TV series.

 

[Morrus]

Maybe for his TV series.

Exactly. And George Lucas is known mainly for his films.

 

[redrick]

Maybe for his TV series.

George R.R. Martin is said to have sold 60 million books. In 2012, R.A. Salvatore had sold 17 million. (Yes, that's 6 years ago, but most of Salvatore's notable works were published before then.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire
https://www.wired.com/2012/08/r-a-salvatore/

 

[Shasarak]

George R.R. Martin is said to have sold 60 million books. In 2012, R.A. Salvatore had sold 17 million. (Yes, that's 6 years ago, but most of Salvatore's notable works were published before then.)

Yeah, he has sold a few books and on the other hand not enough to make the top 10 list though.

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, he has sold a few books and on the other hand not enough to make the top 10 list though.

Wow. Tough crowd! Waddya have to do to get acknowledged round here?

If 60 million books and the world's most popular TV show aren't enough to be included in a pop culture geek gods list, nobody up there should be on it except George Lucas.

And he's written no books.

 

[redrick]

Yeah, he has sold a few books and on the other hand not enough to make the top 10 list though.

The definitive list has spoken.

 

[Shasarak]

Wow. Tough crowd! Waddya have to do to get acknowledged round here?

If 60 million books and the world's most popular TV show aren't enough to be included in a pop culture geek gods list, nobody up there should be on it except George Lucas.

And he's written no books.

Its no knock to be second to the best. Not everyone can be top 10.

 

[Morrus]

Its no knock to be second to the best. Not everyone can be top 10.

You haven't given a top 10. You've just knocked others. Knocking others is easy.

Post your top 10. Let's have at it.