Erick Wujcik passes away

  • Posted June 20th, 2008 at 15:03 EDT by
  • 2,885 views
  • 19 Comments

Beloved role-playing game designer, Erick Wujcik, passed away Saturday evening, June 7, 2008. He died from complications related to pancreatic and liver cancer. Kathryn Kozora, his sweetheart of more than 30 years, and other loved ones were at his side.

Erick was diagnosed with cancer in late November, 2007 and given six to eight weeks to live. True to Erick’s indomitable spirit, he proved the doctors wrong by lasting more than six months. Most of that time was spent with friends and loved ones.

To the role-playing game community, Erick is best known for his many RPG games and contributions to Palladium Books, including The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG, several TMNT sourcebooks, After the Bomb RPG and sourcebooks for it, Ninjas & Superspies, Mystic China, Rifts China One and Two, Revised RECON, Wolfen Empire and many others. He is also famous for Amber Diceless, the first truly “diceless” role-playing game, published under Erick’s own label, Phage Press. Erick also published Amberzine and founded Ambercon, a series of conventions celebrating gaming, friendship and the world of Amber, hosted at numerous locations around the world.

Erick Wujcik’s greatest accomplishment, however, is his contagious joy for life and love of ideas and imagination that inspired people around the world. Whether they were one of his students at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, fellow game designers, or fans sitting in the audience at a convention or seminar listening to Erick speak, to those who had the pleasure of gaming with Erick, to those who knew him best, they couldn’t help but to befriend him. Even the millions who only knew him through his published works or communicated with him online considered him a friend.

Erick’s last months of life were the same as he had always lived, full of friendship, joy, grace and beauty. He will be sorely missed.

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  1. Galvanise_ | Galvanise_

    • 3:20pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 1

    A man I had a lot of respect for. Its sad that this had to happen for someone who was so influential. Thanks for the memories Erick, you'll be missed!

  2. stovich | TasteLikeBurning

    • 3:20pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 2

    Always sad to hear someone as well revered as Erick pass away. R.I.P.

  3. Plaidninja | NINJA 510

    • 3:21pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 3

    damn that's sad....

  4. saso_7 | goose_7

    • 3:33pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 4

    i'm not really into rpg's but RIP guy

  5. NoMercy666 | Ask me...

    • 4:00pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 5

    R.I.P Erick, we will all remember you...

  6. edward_moffet | edd

    • 4:01pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 6

    wow bummer just think what the world would do if hideo kojima died my god that would be a sad sad day RIP erick

  7. I95SOUTH | I95SOUTH

    • 4:24pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 7

    pancreatic thats inflammation to the pancreats and a failer to his organs. DANG!! Thats sad. My sorry goes out to the family. I'm an EMT so thats how I know.

    psn id: I95SOUTH<-- The world will morn those who we lost before time rereveal. by  Me

  8. Nein- | Nein-

    • 4:29pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 8

    R.I.P.  :/

  9. smokeondavidp69 | smokeon

    • 5:17pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 9

    Thats very sad may GOD BLESS his family and friends and any one who reads this. I hope when I die some one will miss me. I don't want to be forgoten. R.I.P.

  10. TobiUchiha | TobiUchiha

    • 5:39pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 10

    @stovich

     

    Amen to that RIP erick

  11. HazdoTT | Tazmyster

    • 6:14pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 11

    R.I.P Erick my condolenses got out too his close one's

  12. gingo | gingo

    • 7:32pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 12

    psn id: gingo... R.I.P.  to this guy the industry needs someone as commited and ambitious as him and hopefully someone steps up to the plate

  13. BlueRevolvuR | BlueRevolvuR

    • 9:08pm BST - June 20th, 2008
    • 13

    @gingo

    I agree. This guy was like a semi-kojima of teh west. R.I.P. Someone close to me also passed away a few days ago...:(

  14. CHRISBOSH | tatti

    • 12:21am BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 14

    @BlueRevolvuR

    Sorry about that man. R.I.P to both Erick and ur close one.

  15. RuiyJR | Tseska_922

    • 4:16am BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 15

    amen i'll dead people

  16. XxXcmacXxX

    • 5:47am BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 16

    A true rpg pioner, thanks for all the games.  If it werent for you, most games wouldnt be it would just be a bunch of fps nerds kissing fps dougs but :') rest in peace buddy.

  17. bnolan56 | snowy311

    • 10:10am BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 17

    Yeah, i don't know who this is so...(although cold) I could care less.

  18. Psypathic | Psypathic

    • 11:47am BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 18

    R.I.P Erick.Thanks for all the influences you made on the RPG genre.

  19. vipergts2207 | D-Smitty

    • 2:28pm BST - June 21st, 2008
    • 19

     @bnolan56. Then why post, just to be a d*ck?

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