View source for Ron Gilbert

{{Short description|American video game designer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{about|the video game designer|the film and television actor|Ron Gilbert (actor)}}
[[File:Ron Gilbert, July 2013.jpg|thumb|Gilbert in 2013]]

'''Ronald David Gilbert'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@grumpygamer/112660547956009733 |title=I guess I should think about getting a new passport. Probably should have thought about that a while ago. |website=mastodon.gamedev.place |date=June 22, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> is an American [[video game designer]], [[video game programmer|programmer]], and [[video game producer|producer]]. His games are generally focused on interactive story-telling, and he is arguably best known for his work on several [[LucasArts]] [[adventure game]]s, including ''[[Maniac Mansion]]'' and the first two ''[[Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]'' games. In 2009, he was chosen by ''[[IGN]]'' as one of the top 100 game creators of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/81.html |title=IGN - 81. Ron Gilbert |website=IGN |language=en |access-date=November 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420070954/http://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/81.html |archive-date=April 20, 2014}}</ref>

While a student in 1983, he co-wrote Graphics BASIC, and he then worked on [[action games]] for [[HESware]], which went out of business. He afterwards joined Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), and was given the opportunity to develop his own games. He invented [[SCUMM]], a technology used in many subsequent games. After leaving LucasArts, Gilbert co-founded the children's gaming company [[Humongous Entertainment]] in 1992 and its sister company [[Cavedog Entertainment]] in 1995, where he produced games such as ''[[Total Annihilation]]'' for adults.

He cofounded Hulabee Entertainment with [[Shelley Day]], releasing children's games between 2001 and 2003. After working with Beep Games between 2004 and 2007, he was creative director at Vancouver-based [[Hothead Games]] development studio between 2008 and 2010, also doing some work for [[Telltale Games]] and with ''[[Penny Arcade]]''. In 2013, he announced that he would move on from [[Double Fine Productions]], after releasing the game ''[[The Cave (video game)|The Cave]]'' with them. In 2017, he announced ''[[Thimbleweed Park]]'' with Terrible Toybox, serving as writer, designer, and programmer since 2014. In 2022, he returned to the ''Monkey Island'' series, co-designing and co-writing ''[[Return to Monkey Island]].''

==Biography==

===Early career===
Ronald David Gilbert was raised in La Grande, Oregon. He is the son of David E. Gilbert, a [[physics]] professor and former president of [[Eastern Oregon University]] (then Eastern Oregon State College). Initially, he thought of himself going into a career for film direction.<ref name="usgamer interview">{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/use-questions-on-developer-a-ron-gilbert-retrospective |title=Use Questions on Developer: A Ron Gilbert Retrospective |last=Mackey |first=Bob |date=November 9, 2015 |website=[[USgamer]] |access-date=November 9, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110055029/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/use-questions-on-developer-a-ron-gilbert-retrospective |archive-date=November 10, 2015}}</ref> He became interested in games when he was thirteen years old, thanks to a [[HP calculators|HP-65]] [[programmable calculator]] his father used to bring home.<ref name="RGInterview">{{cite magazine |title=An Interview with Ron Gilbert |magazine=Game Bytes |issue=9 |url=https://archive.org/details/game-bytes-9 |date=March 13, 1993}}</ref> He found the ability to program games on the calculator interesting, citing an example of a ''[[Battleship (game)|Battleship]]''-like game that was included on the calculator, leading him wanting to learn how to program other games. Gilbert saw the potential to program games as a creative outlet as he continued his studies towards the film industry.<ref name="usgamer interview" /><ref name="pax13 keynote" /> Another thing that made him approach the gaming world was the film ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977). His fascination with programming technology, which allowed gamers to interact with characters and situations, mixed with his love for telling stories, like that of "Star Wars", were his main inspirations to start making games.<ref name="pax13 keynote">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6IYgWh-qnY&t=6m32s GameSpot, "Storytime with Ron Gilbert - PAX Australia 2013 Keynote"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317051751/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6IYgWh-qnY&t=6m32s |date=March 17, 2016}}, ''Ron Gilbert'', July 7, 2013, accessed March 21, 2015</ref>

The impact of ''Star Wars'' and his love for telling stories was so big that Ron Gilbert, at the age of fourteen, and his good friend Tom McFarlane made a couple of films on a [[Super 8 film cameras|Super-8 camera]]. The first film they shot in 1978 was ''Stars Blasters''; it was directed by Ron Gilbert and acted by McFarlane and friend Frank Lang. In 1979, they filmed another movie, ''Tomorrow Never Came'', acted by Ron Gilbert, Tom McFarlane; it was also directed by Ron Gilbert.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vimeo.com/2699486 |title=Tomorrow Never Came |last=McFarlane |first=Thomas |date=January 2, 2009 |website=[[Vimeo]] |access-date=February 20, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109232606/https://vimeo.com/2699486 |archive-date=November 9, 2011}}</ref>

In 1979, his parents purchased a [[NorthStar Horizon]] home computer. At the age of fifteen, he took his first steps in game programming. He used to study and analyze games for hours; capturing in his mind every frame of the layout of games like ''[[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'', ''[[Pac-Man]]'', ''[[Asteroids (video game)|Asteroids]]'', ''[[Space Invaders]]'' or ''[[Robotron: 2084]]''; taking notes of every detail and then trying to replicate them on his computer. Once the games were replicated, he would start doing experiments with them, adding changes. He also used to look at [[Atari 2600]] games' advertisements in magazines, then imagined what the game was like to play and tried to make them on his computer. Once the games were finished, he used to bring his friends home to test the games and tell him what they did or did not like.<ref name="youbioit">{{cite web | url=http://www.youbioit.com/en/article/biography/835/ron-gilbert | title=Ron Gilbert's biography | publisher=Youbioit | access-date=February 20, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513142525/http://www.youbioit.com/en/article/biography/835/ron-gilbert | archive-date=May 13, 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref>

===LucasArts===
Gilbert began his professional career in 1983 while he was still a student at Eastern Oregon State College by writing a program named Graphics BASIC with Tom McFarlane. They sold the program to a [[San Francisco Bay Area]] company named [[HESware]], which later offered Gilbert a job. He spent about half a year at HESware, programming [[Platform game|action game]]s for the [[Commodore 64]] (C64).<ref name="ign">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/81.html |title=81. Ron Gilbert |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=May 24, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420070954/https://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/81.html |archive-date=April 20, 2014}}</ref> None of them were ever released; the company went out of business. Shortly thereafter, Gilbert joined [[Lucasfilm]] Games, which later became [[LucasArts]]. There he earned his living by doing C64 ports of Lucasfilm [[Atari 800]] games. In 1985, he got the opportunity to co-develop his own game for LucasArts together with [[Game art design|graphics artist]] [[Gary Winnick (game developer)|Gary Winnick]]. ''[[Maniac Mansion]]'' was about a dark [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[mansion]] populated by a [[mad scientist]], his family and strange [[extraterrestrial life|alien]]s.<ref name="youbioit" />

''Maniac Mansion'' features [[cutscene]]s, a word coined by Gilbert,<ref name="GrumpyIn9">{{cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Ron |author-link=Ron Gilbert |title=''Maniac Mansion'' in 9 |url=http://grumpygamer.com/8139425 |website=Grumpy Gamer |date=April 12, 2007 |access-date=March 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070415021118/http://grumpygamer.com/8139425 |archive-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref><ref name="GS-Fame">{{cite news |last1=Buecheler |first1=Christopher |title=The GameSpy Hall of Fame |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/mm.shtm |work=GameSpy |access-date=February 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311072453/http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/mm.shtm |archive-date=March 11, 2011}}</ref> that interrupt gameplay to advance the story and inform the player about offscreen events.<ref name="zzap">{{cite journal |last1=Summer |first1=Paul |last2=Rignall |first2=Julian |last3=Jarratt |first3=Steve |author-link2=Julian Rignall |author-link3=Steve Jarratt |date=December 1987 |title=''Maniac Mansion'' |journal=[[Zzap!64]] |publisher=Newsfield Publications |location=Ludlow |issue=32 |pages=12–13 |issn=0954-867X |oclc=470391346}}</ref><ref name="mmmanual">{{cite book |last=Laurel |first=Brenda |title=Maniac Mansion ''manual'' |publisher=[[LucasArts|Lucasfilm Games]] |pages = 1–5 |year=1987 |location=[[San Rafael, CA]]}}</ref> Gilbert created a scripting language that was named after the project it had been written for, the Script Creation Utility for ''Maniac Mansion'', better known as [[SCUMM|S.C.U.M.M.]]<ref name="Edge">{{cite magazine |author=Edge Staff |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] |location=[[Bath, Somerset]] |title=The Making Of: ''Maniac Mansion'' |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/the-making-of-maniac-mansion |page=1 |date=August 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806183054/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/the-making-of-maniac-mansion |archive-date=August 6, 2010}}</ref> The technology was used in all subsequent LucasArts adventure games,<ref name="GamesTm-Retro">{{cite journal |journal=[[GamesTM]] |publisher=Imagine Publishing |location=Bournemouth |title=Behind the Scenes: ''Maniac Mansion'' + ''Day of the Tentacle'' |year=2010 |issue=3 |pages=22–27 |series=The Ultimate Retro Companion |issn=1448-2606 |oclc=173412381}}</ref> with the exception of ''[[Grim Fandango]]'' and ''[[Escape From Monkey Island]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=SCUMM makes a comeback in Indie Indy Game |url=http://kotaku.com/176756/scumm-makes-a-comeback-in-indie-indy-game |publisher=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=March 25, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213162505/http://kotaku.com/176756/scumm-makes-a-comeback-in-indie-indy-game |archive-date=February 13, 2010}}</ref> Despite being an internal production tool, the S.C.U.M.M. acronym became well known to gamers since a location in ''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]'', the SCUMM Bar, was named after it.

Gilbert created many successful [[adventure game]]s at LucasArts, including the classic ''The Secret of Monkey Island'' and ''Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge''.<ref>{{cite web |title=If I Made Another Monkey Island |url=https://grumpygamer.com/if_i_made_another_monkeyisland |date=April 13, 2013 |website=Grumpy Gamer |access-date=January 24, 2018 |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209003900/https://grumpygamer.com/if_i_made_another_monkeyisland |archive-date=December 9, 2017 |quote=It would be called Monkey Island 3a. All the games after Monkey Island 2 don't exist in my Monkey Island universe. My apologies to the all talented people who worked on them and the people who loved them, but I'd want to pick up where I left off. Free of baggage. In a carnival. That doesn't mean I won't steal some good ideas or characters from other games. I'm not above that.}}</ref> In 1992, he left the company to start [[Humongous Entertainment]] with LucasArts producer [[Shelley Day]]. While at Humongous Entertainment, Gilbert was responsible for games such as ''[[Putt-Putt (series)|Putt-Putt]]'', ''[[Fatty Bear]]'', ''[[Freddi Fish]]'', ''[[Pajama Sam]]'',<ref name="usgamer interview" /> and the ''[[Backyard Sports]]'' series.<ref name="ign" /> Many of these games continued to use an offshoot of the S.C.U.M.M. engine.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/majesco-to-bring-humongous-point-and-click-adventures-to-wii |title=Majesco To Bring Humongous Point And Click Adventures To Wii |last1=Alexander |first1=Leigh |last2=Boyer |first2=Brandon |date=March 25, 2008 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=May 24, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511012156/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/108943/Majesco_To_Bring_Humongous_Point_And_Click_Adventures_To_Wii.php |archive-date=May 11, 2012}}</ref>

===Post-LucasArts===
In 1995, Gilbert founded [[Cavedog Entertainment]], Humongous' sister company for non-kids games. In 1996, [[GameSpot]] named him as the 15th on their list of the most influential people in computer gaming of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/15most/html/mi_15.html |title=The Most Influential People in Computer Gaming of All Time: #15 Ron Gilbert |date=July 4, 2008 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704140757/http://www.gamespot.com/features/15most/html/mi_15.html |archive-date=July 4, 2008 }}</ref> In 1997, ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' similarly ranked him as number 15 on the list of the most influential people of all time in computer gaming for inventing the S.C.U.M.M. engine.<ref>''CGW'' 159: The Most Influential People in Computer Gaming</ref> While at Cavedog, Gilbert was the producer of ''[[Total Annihilation]]'' and worked on a game titled ''Good & Evil''. Widely regarded as his pet project, ''Good & Evil'' was said to incorporate many different themes and gameplay styles. The game was previewed by several publications, but the project was cancelled when Cavedog closed down in 1999. In an interview with GameSpot conducted a while after Cavedog's shut-down, Gilbert said the ''Good & Evil'' project had suffered due to him trying to design a game and run a company at the same time.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/ron_gilbert/index.html | title=An Interview with Ron Gilbert | publisher=[[GameSpot]] | author=DeMaria, Rusel | access-date=September 1, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000619130223/http://www.gamespot.com/features/ron_gilbert/index.html | archive-date=June 19, 2000 | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lumerias.com/person/ron-gilbert|title=Ron Gilbert Timeline|website=Lumerias.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822144938/http://www.lumerias.com/person/ron-gilbert|archive-date=August 22, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of 2005, Ron Gilbert was independently designing an unspecified new adventure/RPG, which he was pitching to publishers. He also started a blog "Grumpy Gamer", offering game industry commentary, occasionally in the form of animated cartoons that he created with ''[[Voodoo Vince]]'' designer Clayton Kauzlaric.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16883 |title=Hothead, Ron Gilbert Announce Episodic Adventure-RPG DeathSpank |last=Boyer |first=Brandon |date=January 9, 2008 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=January 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110204153/https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16883 |archive-date=January 10, 2008}}</ref>

[[File:Ron Gilbert PAX 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|Ron Gilbert at [[Penny Arcade Expo|PAX]] 2009]]

In 2007, Gilbert created "Threepwood", an exclusively ''Monkey Island''-themed guild on the ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' server Quel'Dorei,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/759/759237p1.html | title=Pirates Invade World of Warcraft | publisher=[[IGN|IGN UK]] | author=Burman, Rob | date=January 29, 2007 | access-date=January 10, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130256/http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/759/759237p1.html | archive-date=February 3, 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref> and Gilbert began to collaborate with [[Hothead Games]] on ''[[Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness]]'', a game based on the webcomic ''[[Penny Arcade]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13860 | title=Adventure Vet Ron Gilbert Working On Penny Arcade Title | date=May 9, 2007 | publisher=Gamasutra | author=Boyer, Brandon | access-date=May 9, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520054944/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13860 | archive-date=May 20, 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was chosen to be the Keynote Speaker for [[Penny Arcade Expo]] for 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/ron-gilbert-to-keynote-2009-penny-arcade-expo |title=Ron Gilbert To Keynote 2009 Penny Arcade Expo |last=Remo |first=Chris |date=June 30, 2009 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=June 30, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511231550/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/115210/Ron_Gilbert_To_Keynote_2009_Penny_Arcade_Expo.php |archive-date=May 11, 2012}}</ref>

In January 2008, he joined Hothead Games as creative director, with whom he was developing ''[[DeathSpank]]'', an adventure/R.P.G.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/536C4D02-BF24-4B73-AA48-A277D6B04997.htm | title=Ron Gilbert Becomes A Hothead | date=January 9, 2008 | access-date=January 10, 2008 | author=Ahrens, Nick | publisher=[[Game Informer]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111040138/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/536C4D02-BF24-4B73-AA48-A277D6B04997.htm | archive-date=January 11, 2008}}</ref> Although still working at Hothead Games, Gilbert contributed to the design for [[Telltale Games]]' ''[[Tales of Monkey Island]]'', taking part in the brainstorming process early in the development of the game.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland/faq | title=Tales of Monkey Island FAQ | access-date=January 8, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605063409/http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland/faq | archive-date=June 5, 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref> The episodic fifth entry in the ''Monkey Island'' series marked the first time Gilbert worked on a ''Monkey Island'' game since 1991's ''LeChuck's Revenge''. On April 6, 2010, on his blog he announced that he left Hothead Games but that he would continue to promote ''DeathSpank'' with Electronic Arts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grumpygamer.com/8789972 |title=Grumpy Gamer Just so you know |publisher=Grumpygamer.com |date=April 6, 2010 |access-date=May 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217151334/http://grumpygamer.com/8789972 |archive-date=December 17, 2010}}</ref>

In September 2010, it was revealed that Gilbert had been hired by fellow former LucasArts game designer [[Tim Schafer]], to work at Schafer's own [[Double Fine Productions]]. In February 2012, Tim Schafer confirmed he will be working with Ron Gilbert on a new adventure game. In May 2012, the game was revealed as ''[[The Cave (video game)|The Cave]]'', which was released as a downloadable title by Sega in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last=Matulef |first=Jeffrey |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-24-the-cave-preview-double-fines-new-game-for-sega |title=The Cave Preview: Double Fine's New Game for Sega • Previews • |newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=May 24, 2012 |access-date=May 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425033744/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-24-the-cave-preview-double-fines-new-game-for-sega |archive-date=April 25, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the buying of LucasArts by [[The Walt Disney Company]] in 2012, the rights to the ''[[Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]'' series became the company's property. Ron Gilbert has been quoted in November 2012 as not being optimistic about the franchise's future, believing that Disney might abandon the franchise in favor of ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'';<ref>{{cite news|last=Yin-Poole|first=Wesley|title=Ron Gilbert wishes he owned Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion|newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=November 30, 2012 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-30-ron-gilbert-wishes-he-owned-monkey-island-and-maniac-mansion|publisher=Eurogamer|access-date=January 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103054337/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-30-ron-gilbert-wishes-he-owned-monkey-island-and-maniac-mansion|archive-date=January 3, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> however, in December 2012, he was also quoted as wishing to contact Disney, hoping to "make the game he wants to make".<ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Tom|title=Monkey Island creator will talk to rights owner Disney about new game plans|newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=December 12, 2012 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-11-monkey-island-creator-plans-disney-talks-ahead-of-new-game|publisher=Eurogamer|access-date=January 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115102851/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-11-monkey-island-creator-plans-disney-talks-ahead-of-new-game|archive-date=January 15, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2013, Gilbert left Double Fine Productions revealing that his joining the studio was purely for the creation of ''The Cave'': "I was telling him [Tim Schafer] about ''The Cave'' and he really liked it, so he said 'come to Double Fine and make it'. It was really all about making that game." Most recently he worked on the iOS and Android game ''Scurvy Scallywags'' with ''DeathSpank'' co-creator Clayton Kauzlaric.<ref>{{cite news |last=Matulef |first=Jeffrey |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-12-ron-gilbert-on-why-he-left-double-fine |title=Ron Gilbert on why he left Double Fine |newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=March 12, 2013 |access-date=March 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315091144/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-12-ron-gilbert-on-why-he-left-double-fine |archive-date=March 15, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On November 18, 2014, it was revealed that he had reunited with [[Gary Winnick (game developer)|Gary Winnick]], with whom he created his early critically acclaimed [[Adventure game#Point-and-click adventure games|point-and-click]] games at LucasArts, and that they were working together on a new point-and-click game called ''[[Thimbleweed Park]]''. The game reached its funding target on the crowd sourcing site Kickstarter on December 18 and was released on March 30, 2017, in full "[[Talkies (video games)|talkie]]" mode for Windows, Linux, Mac and Xbox One. A port to iOS and Android was confirmed after the project met its last stretch-goal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thimbleweedpark/thimbleweed-park-a-new-classic-point-and-click-adv|title=Thimbleweed Park|website=Kickstarter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130002624/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thimbleweedpark/thimbleweed-park-a-new-classic-point-and-click-adv|archive-date=November 30, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 23, 2016, Gilbert took to Twitter to express a desire to buy back earlier LucasArts franchises saying "Please sell me my ''Monkey Island'' and ''Maniac Mansion'' IP. I'll pay actual money for them.".<ref>{{cite tweet |user=grumpygamer |authour-link+Ron Gilbert |number=734843964709175297 |date=May 23, 2016 |title=Dead @Disney, now that you're not making games, please sell me my Monkey Island and Mansion Mansion IP. I'll pay real actual money for them. |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720004450/https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/734843964709175297 |archivedate=July 20, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, fans of the series launched an online petition in support of Ron Gilbert, asking Disney to sell the franchises to him; as of December 2021, the petition has gathered about 29,000 signatures.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hughes |first=Matthew |date=May 15, 2018 |title=Monkey Island fans are begging Disney to sell the rights back to its creator |url=https://thenextweb.com/gaming/2018/05/15/monkey-island-fans-are-begging-disney-to-sell-the-rights-back-to-its-creator/ |website=The Next Web |access-date=May 15, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519020512/https://thenextweb.com/gaming/2018/05/15/monkey-island-fans-are-begging-disney-to-sell-the-rights-back-to-its-creator/ |archive-date=May 19, 2018}}</ref>

On April 4, 2022, Gilbert announced that he had been working on ''[[Return to Monkey Island]]'' for the prior two years in secrecy. The game was released later that year on September 19, by Devolver Digital and his company Terrible Toybox.<ref name="twitterReturnMonkeyIsland">{{cite web |last1=Gilbert |first1=Ron |title=A little something we've been working on for the past 2 years in complete secrecy. |url=https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/1510995575025528836 |publisher=[[Twitter]] |access-date=April 4, 2022}}</ref>

On February 2, 2025, posted on his blog that he was planning to release a new game, titled ''Death By Scrolling'' with a view to release it within 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.grumpygamer.com/deathbyscrolling/ | title=Death By Scrolling | publisher=Grumpy Gamer | author=Ron Gilbert |date=February 2, 2025 |access-date=February 6, 2025 }}</ref> Gilbert had earlier blogged about experimenting with an RPG engine and tileset in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://mixnmojo.com/news/Ronzo-downright-announces-his-next-game | title=Ronzo downright announces his next game | publisher=The International House of Mojo | access-date=April 2, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403052031/https://mixnmojo.com/news/Ronzo-downright-announces-his-next-game | archive-date=April 3, 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://grumpygamer.com/a_little_something |title=A Little Something (blog entry) |author=Ron Gilbert |website=grumpygamer.com |date=March 14, 2018 |access-date=April 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403051934/https://grumpygamer.com/a_little_something |archive-date=April 3, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Games==
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Credited with
! scope="col" | Publisher
|-
| ''[[Koronis Rift]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[1985 in video gaming|1985]] || programmer || rowspan="8" | [[Lucasfilm Games]]
|-
| ''[[Ballblazer]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Maniac Mansion]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[1987 in video gaming|1987]] || writer, director, art and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Habitat (video game)|Habitat]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[PHM Pegasus]]'' || [[1988 in video gaming|1988]] || 
|-
| ''[[Pipe Mania|Pipe Dream]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[1989 in video gaming|1989]] || writer 
|-
| ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure]]'' || writer 
|-
| ''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]'' || [[1990 in video gaming|1990]] || writer and director 
|-
| ''[[Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge]]'' || [[1991 in video gaming|1991]] || director, designer and programmer<ref>[http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/monkey-island-2-lechucks-revenge/credits Credits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325011502/http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/monkey-island-2-lechucks-revenge/credits |date=March 25, 2017}} at [[MobyGames]]</ref> || [[LucasArts]]
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt Joins the Parade|Putt-Putt Joins the Parade]]'' || [[1992 in video gaming|1992]] || director, designer and programmer || rowspan="3" | [[Humongous Entertainment]]
|-
| ''[[Fatty Bear|Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise]]'' || rowspan="5" | [[1993 in video gaming|1993]] || director, designer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt's Fun Pack]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Day of the Tentacle|Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle]]'' || writer || LucasArts
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon|Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon]]'' || director, designer and programmer || rowspan="17" | Humongous Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Fatty Bear|Fatty Bear's Fun Pack]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt Putt & Fatty Bear's Activity Pack|Putt Putt & Fatty Bear's Activity Pack]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[1994 in video gaming|1994]] ||
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds]]'' || producer, designer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Junior Field Trips#Let's Explore the Airport|Let's Explore the Airport]]'' || rowspan="4" | [[1995 in video gaming|1995]] ||
|-
| ''[[Junior Field Trips#Let's Explore the Farm|Let's Explore the Farm]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Junior Field Trips#Let's Explore the Jungle|Let's Explore the Jungle]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo|Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo]]'' || interactive design, producer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish#Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse (1996)|Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse]]'' || rowspan="6" | [[1996 in video gaming|1996]] || producer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside]]'' || interactive design, producer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt and Pep's Dog on a Stick|Putt-Putt and Pep's Dog on a Stick]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt and Pep's Balloon-o-Rama|Putt-Putt and Pep's Balloon-o-Rama]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish#Arcade Games|Freddi Fish and Luther's Maze Madness]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish#Arcade Games|Freddi Fish and Luther's Water Worries]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Big Thinkers (video game series)|Big Thinkers 1st Grade]]'' || rowspan="7" | [[1997 in video gaming|1997]] || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Big Thinkers (video game series)|Big Thinkers Kindergarten]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Backyard Baseball]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Total Annihilation]]'' || producer || [[Cavedog Entertainment]]
|-
| ''[[Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal"]]'' || creative director and programmer || rowspan="5" | Humongous Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt Putt Travels Through Time|Putt Putt Travels Through Time]]'' || producer and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam#Pajama Sam's Sock Works|Pajama Sam's Sock Works]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt Enters the Race|Putt-Putt Enters the Race]]'' || rowspan="8" | [[1998 in video gaming|1998]] ||
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish#Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell (1998)|Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency]]'' || producer || rowspan="2" | Cavedog Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics]]'' || producer 
|-
| ''[[Blue's Birthday Adventure]]'' || || rowspan="7" | Humongous Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Aren't so Frightening]]'' || creative director and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam#Pajama Sam's Lost & Found|Pajama Sam's Lost & Found]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Spy Fox|Spy Fox in Cheese Chase]]'' || programmer 
|-
| ''[[Backyard Soccer]]'' || rowspan="9" | [[1999 in video gaming|1999]] ||
|-
| ''[[Blue's 123 Time Activities]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Blue's ABC Time Activities]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Total Annihilation: Kingdoms]]'' || producer || Cavedog Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Spy Fox|Spy Fox in Hold the Mustard]]'' || || rowspan="5" | Humongous Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Blue's Treasure Hunt]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Spy Fox 2: "Some Assembly Required"]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat from Your Head to Your Feet]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Backyard Football (1999 video game)|Backyard Football]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Total Annihilation: Kingdoms#The Iron Plague|Total Annihilation: Kingdoms – The Iron Plague]]'' || rowspan="8" | [[2000 in video gaming|2000]] || producer || Cavedog Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Blue's Reading Time Activities]]'' || || rowspan="11" | Humongous Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Blue's Art Time Activities]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Freddi Fish#Arcade Games|Freddi Fish's One-Stop Fun Shop]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam#Pajama Sam's One Stop Fun Shop|Pajama Sam's One-Stop Fun Shop]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt's One-Stop Fun Shop|Putt-Putt's One-Stop Fun Shop]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Backyard Soccer|Backyard Soccer MLS Edition]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Putt-Putt (series)#Putt-Putt Joins the Circus (2000)|Putt-Putt Joins the Circus]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone"]]'' || rowspan="5" | [[2001 in video gaming|2001]] ||
|-
| ''[[Backyard Sports|Backyard NBA Basketball]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Backyard Football 2002]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Pajama Sam#Pajama Sam's Games To Play On Any Day|Pajama Sam's Games To Play On Any Day]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Moop and Dreadly in the Treasure on Bing Bong Island]]'' || creative director and programmer || rowspan="4" | Hulabee Entertainment
|-
| ''[[Ollo in the Sunny Valley Fair]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[2002 in video gaming|2002]] || creative director and programmer 
|-
| ''[[Sonny's Race for the Chocolatey Taste]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Piglet's Big Game]]'' || [[2003 in video gaming|2003]] ||
|-
| ''Flying Leo'' || [[2005 in video gaming|2005]] ||  || rowspan="4" | [[Beep Games]]
|-
| ''Zodiac'' || rowspan="2" | [[2006 in video gaming|2006]] ||
|-
| ''Four Houses'' ||
|-
| ''Realms of Gold'' || [[2007 in video gaming|2007]] ||
|-
| ''[[Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness|Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[2008 in video gaming|2008]] || story and design consultant || rowspan="2" | [[Hothead Games]]
|-
| ''[[Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness|Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two]]'' || story and design consultant 
|-
| ''[[Tales of Monkey Island]]'' || [[2009 in video gaming|2009]]–10 || "Visiting Professor of Monkeyology" || [[Telltale Games]]
|-
| ''Word Spiral''<ref>{{cite web|last1=Molina|first1=Bret|title=Portable Picks: 'The Big Big Castle!'|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2012/07/portable-picks-the-big-big-castle/1#.WYDma-lOnuo|website=USA Today|date=July 31, 2012|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801235630/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2012/07/portable-picks-the-big-big-castle/1#.WYDma-lOnuo|archive-date=August 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> || rowspan="3" | [[2010 in video gaming|2010]] || designer, programmer || Beep Games
|-
| ''[[DeathSpank]]'' || design || rowspan="2" | Hothead Games
|-
| ''[[DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue]]'' || design 
|-
| ''The Big Big Castle!''<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gilbert|first1=Ron|title=The Big Big Castle!|url=http://grumpygamer.com/the_big_big_castle|website=Grumpy Gamer Blog|date=July 9, 2012|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720014549/http://grumpygamer.com/the_big_big_castle|archive-date=July 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> || [[2012 in video gaming|2012]] || designer, programmer || Beep Games
|-
| ''[[The Cave (video game)|The Cave]]'' || rowspan="2" | [[2013 in video gaming|2013]] || director || [[Double Fine Productions]]
|-
| ''Scurvy Scallywags in The Voyage to Discover The Ultimate Sea Shanty'' || || Beep Games
|-
| ''[[Thimbleweed Park]]'' || [[2017 in video gaming|2017]] || writer, designer, programmer || rowspan="2" | Terrible Toybox, Inc.
|-
| ''Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure''|| [[2020 in video gaming|2020]] || writer, designer, programmer 
|-
| ''[[Return to Monkey Island]]'' || [[2022 in video games|2022]] || director, designer, writer|| [[Devolver Digital]]
|-
| ''Death by Scrolling'' || [[2025 in video games|2025]] || director, designer, programmer|| [[Microprose]]
|}

==Written works==
* {{cite journal |last1=Gilbert |first1=Ron |date=December 1989 |title= Why adventure games suck - And What We Can Do About It |journal=Journal of Computer Game Design |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=4–7 |url=https://www.erasmatazz.com/library/the-journal-of-computer/jcgd-volume-3/volume-3-number-2-january.html}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://grumpygamer.com/ Grumpy Gamer] - Ron Gilbert's blog
* {{moby developer|id=1363|name=Ron Gilbert}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100513142525/http://www.youbioit.com:80/en/article/biography/835/ron-gilbert Ron Gilbert's complete biography] (January 31, 2010) (Mirrored May 13, 2010)
* {{IMDb name|0318222}}

{{LucasArts adventure games}}
{{Double Fine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Ron}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American male bloggers]]
[[Category:American video game designers]]
[[Category:American video game producers]]
[[Category:American video game programmers]]
[[Category:Double Fine people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Lucasfilm people]]