EverQuest Designer and MMO Mastermind Brad McQuaid Passed Away

Tragic news struck the gaming world the other day, as Brad McQuaid, who helped create Everquest and the upcoming MMO Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, passed away in his home. The news comes to us from the official Pantheon Twitter account, which reported:

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.

Brad McQuaid, otherwise known as Aradune, joined Sony Online Entertainment in 1996 as the lead programmer and producer on Everquest, and eventually got himself promoted to chief creative officer in a few short years. In 2002, he departed and started Sigil Games, which made Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and would eventually get purchased by his old employers.

The next game he would work on, until he died, was Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, which was funded by Kickstarter in 2014.

Brad McQuaid might not have been well-known outside his circle, but he was undoubtedly a creative mind that revolutionized one of the biggest genres in the entire gaming space. His work literally impacted millions and he will be missed.