MMORPGs are magical things. They give us the chance to go on adventures and make new friends with people we otherwise wouldn’t have the chance of ever meeting. One of the most important MMORPGs to have ever been made was EverQuest and today we mourn the lost of one of its creators.

McQuaid (left) at PAX East 2018. Image from his Twitter page.

Brad McQuaid, one of the key designers of EverQuest passed away last night on 19 November 2019. The sad news was tweeted out by the Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen official Twitter page just a few hours ago. Pantheon is an upcoming MMORPG that McQuaid was working on until 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

Benjamin Dean, director of communications at Visionary Realms (the studio working on Pantheon) posted a message in the Pantheon MMO forums stating that McQuaid passed away in his home. Here’s an excerpt taken from the full message:

“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.”

Screenshot of Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen.

Before joining the team that made EverQuest, McQuaid was working at Sony Online Entertainment as a lead programmer. After the success of EverQuest, he became chief creative officer. In 2002, he left SOE and founded Sigil Games which made Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, another MMO. He rejoined SOE after Sigil Games was purchased by SOE and then left to independently work on Pantheon.

In the MMO community, McQuaid was known as Aradune and he will forever live on in the hearts of fans all over the world. This was a man who didn’t just make games, but entire worlds that allowed people to connect with each other and go on great adventures.

May you rest in peace, Mr. McQuaid.

Thanks, PC Gamer.