June 19, 2021: Andrew Hackard

Andrew Hackard, our Munchkin Czar, also known as the Red Pen of Doom, died June 17 of a brain tumor. He knew more than six months ago that it was terminal, but he stayed at his desk as long as he could, making more games for us all.

Andrew was with SJ Games for more than 20 years. He was one of the smartest, funniest, nicest people that I have ever known. He loved movies, comics, and all kinds of geek culture. Just to keep in balance, he was also a faithful orange-blooded fan of UT football. He was always up for a game or a playtest. He loved puns and wordplay but combined that with a precise and critical mind – which made him ideal for Munchkin.

In his copious free time, he acted as editor for several of Wil Wheaton's books. Wil said, "I knew Andrew for twenty years that suddenly feel unfairly short. I knew him as an editor, as a gamer, as a fellow nerd, but most importantly as my friend. Andrew helped me become a writer. He helped me find my voice, my confidence, my abiding respect for and fear of his Red Pen of Doom. Andrew's influence on my creative self will be with me for the rest of my life, in everything I write, and for that I am grateful. And I can find some joy in the knowledge that Andrew will outlive all of us through his work. Every single time you play Munchkin, you're keeping Andrew's memory alive, and as someone who loved him, I thank you for that."

John Kovalic called him "ridiculously talented – his mind seemed to operate on another level entirely. Faster and funnier, but also kinder."


I'm lucky to have had Andrew's help all these years, and proud to have been his friend.

-- Steve Jackson