Everquest designer and producer Brad McQuaid died this week on November 18, 2019. McQuaid was 51.

McQuaid is best known as one of the key designers on Everquest, the highly-successful MMORPG. McQuaid’s death was announced on the Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Twitter account, an MMO McQuaid was working before his death.



It is with deep regret we share that Brad McQuaid passed away last night. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by gamers worldwide. Thank you for bringing us together through your worlds. Rest in peace @Aradune.



VR offers our deepest condolences to Brad’s family.



— Pantheon (@PantheonMMO) November 20, 2019



Brad was an amazingly talented creator and Everquest wouldn't exist without his genius. He will be missed — John Smedley (@j_smedley) November 20, 2019



We are saddened to learn about the passing of Brad McQuaid. As a designer of @everquest he was an industry pioneer who helped launch the MMO genre and paved the way for EVE Online and countless others. His work was a source of inspiration to many at CCP. Our sincere condolences. https://t.co/wzLYqnVNQY — EVE Online (@EveOnline) November 20, 2019

Pantheon’s director of comms Benjamin Dean also announced McQuaid’s death on the Pantheon forums . “It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we share that Brad McQuaid, Chief Creative Officer of Visionary Realms passed away in his home last night.”“Brad was a visionary, a mentor, an artist, a trailblazer, 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 forever remembers in life and in Pantheon.”McQuaid joined Sony Online Entertainment to work on EverQuest before eventually leaving the company to create Sigil Games. There, McQuaid released the MMO Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.Game developers have expressed their condolences on Twitter. Former Sony Online Entertainment and Daybreak Games president John Smedley tweeted a message, and the official EVE Online Twitter account said that McQuaid was “an industry pioneer who helped launch the MMO genre and paved the way for EVE Online and countless others.”

Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.