Ernest Gary Gygax was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ernest Edward Gygax and Alfaretta Emma Steck. His early life was marked by a fascination with pulp fantasy and science fiction, a passion that would later fuel his creative endeavors. He immersed himself in the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, and Jack Vance, laying the foundation for his later world-building achievements.

During his childhood and adolescence, Gygax developed a keen interest in miniature wargaming. He began crafting his own miniatures and devising complex rulesets for recreating historical battles. This early foray into wargaming provided invaluable experience in game mechanics and design principles, skills that he would later refine and adapt for Dungeons & Dragons.