If you've ever rolled a d100, you have Lou Zocchi to thank. The self-styled "Godfather of Dice" and founder of Gamescience passed away on 15 April 2026 at the age of 91, leaving behind a tabletop industry he helped build from the ground up.
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Start organising for freeFor anyone who learned the hobby after the 1980s, it's easy to forget that polyhedral dice weren't always a staple. Zocchi founded Gamescience in 1974 and became the first manufacturer of polyhedrals in the United States, the little piles of plastic that make D&D, Warhammer and countless other games possible. He's credited with inventing the d3, d5, d14, d24 and, most famously, the hundred-sided d100 lovingly nicknamed the "Zocchihedron" in his honour.
His career stretched far beyond dice. Zocchi was an early editor and contributor to Avalon Hill's The General magazine through its first eleven years, and he designed wargames like Luftwaffe, The Battle of Britain, Flying Tigers and Alien Space, many of which are still fondly remembered by grognards today.
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Set up your group for freeOlder gamers will remember him best from the convention circuit. Zocchi was a fixture at GenCon and countless smaller shows, famously demonstrating dice manufacturing quality by rolling dozens at once and pointing out the flaws in his competitors' injection-moulded d20s. The pitch became legendary. As one commenter on EN World put it, he'd be there with just a wagon and a table, taking time to educate anyone who wandered past.
The industry recognised him in his lifetime. Zocchi was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming's Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the E. Gary Gygax Lifetime Achievement Award at Gary Con in 2022. Both accolades were long overdue.
Rolling a d100 at your next game night might be a fitting tribute. Next time you pick up a handful of dice for your RPG session or find a game night near you, spare a thought for the Colonel. The hobby looks the way it does because of people like him.
Sources: ICv2 | EN World | Gamescience
