Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: Brad McQuaid, Everquest, Pantheon
"EverQuest" Co-Creator Brad McQuaid Passes Away
Sad news this week as the co-creator of EverQuest, Brad McQuaid, has passed away at the age of 51. He was found at his home on Monday evening, and the word was eventually released yesterday night from the Pantheon Twitter account, the MMO game in which he was working on.
McQuaid was a unique visionary in his field as he became a lead programmer for Sony Online Entertainment back in the mid-90s, eventually co-creating and becoming a producer on EverQuest, eventually becoming Chief Creative Officer. In 2002 he founded Sigil Games, best known for Vanguard: Saga Of Heroes. Sony eventually purchased the company a few years later, and he rejoined the company for a bit before leaving again and leading a successful Kickstarter for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen. The details have not been released yet, and requests have been made that people please respect the family's privacy at this time. Visionary Realms' director of communications Benjamin Dean wrote his own message on the forums, which we have for you here.
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 remembered 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 offer our deepest condolences to Brad's family and during this most difficult time, we kindly ask that you respect the privacy of Brad's family.