Brad McQuaid, developer of the MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 51.
Who was Brad McQuaid? In the field of MMORPGs, Brad McQuaid was considered a veteran. He became known for his work on the MMORPG Everquest, which is based on his design and which he developed for Sony Online Entertainment.
Later, he developed Vanguard: Saga of Heroes with his own company, Sigil Games, but returned to Sony after they purchased the assets of Vanguard. McQuaid eventually worked again on the Everquest series before parting ways with SOE again in 2013 and announcing the MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in 2014.
Farewell to a developer legend
When did Brad McQuaid pass away? The designer unexpectedly died on November 18, 2019, at the age of 51. The cause of death is currently unknown. He apparently passed away suddenly during the night.
The team requests that Brad McQuaid’s family be given privacy during this difficult time.
Reactions from colleagues and friends: The sudden death of Brad McQuaid is a shock to many.
- “It breaks my heart to write this – Brad McQuaid has passed away,” tweeted former SOE president John Smedley. “Brad was an incredibly talented creator and EverQuest would not exist without his genius. We will miss him.”
- MMO developer Raph Koster, who also worked at SOE, said: “Shocked and saddened to hear that Brad McQuaid aka @Aradune has passed away. A big-hearted guy who loved games and the worlds he built. So many memories of design discussions with him over the years. He was so proud of @PantheonMMO. Way too soon. ? RIP Brad, you will be missed.”
- SOE producer Scott Hartsman wrote: “Oh no. Brad was a friend and an icon in our world of world-building. Just in disbelief. My heartfelt condolences to his family as well as to the families of @PantheonMMO and @EverQuest.”
The team is shaken but continues
What do his colleagues at Pantheon say? The team that Brad McQuaid worked with on the MMORPG Pantheon is also in shock.
The official Twitter account released the message: “With deep regret and profound sorrow, we share that Brad McQuaid, Chief Creative Officer of Visionary Realms, passed away last night in his home. Brad was a visionary, a mentor, an artist, a pioneer, a friend, a husband, a father. He touched thousands of lives with his dreams and concepts. He changed the landscape of video games forever. He will be deeply missed and remembered forever in life and in Pantheon.
Thank you, Brad, for bringing us together through your worlds. Rest in peace, Aradune. All of us at Visionary Realms extend our deepest condolences to Brad’s family and ask that you respect the privacy of Brad’s family during this difficult time.”
What will happen to the MMORPG? The team explains that they are shattered by the news. However, they remain committed to the game and the community. Pantheon has never been just one person’s project.
Brad McQuaid’s family has already given the developers their blessing to move forward. And that is set to happen now. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen will continue to be developed. More details will be shared by the team later this month.
