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On June 10, video game developer Andy O’Neil passed away at the age of 47. The news was announced yesterday by Bluepoint Games, a company co-founded by O’Neil in 2006. O’Neil’s work on the Metroid Prime franchise is perhaps his most well-known achievement in the industry. O’Neil was the technical lead on Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and the principal engineer on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Bluepoint Games released a statement about O’Neil’s passing on Facebook:
We are sad to announce the passing of one of our founders, Andy O’Neil. Andy was key in the formation of Bluepoint Games and his engineering prowess helped catapult a tiny two-person studio to where we are today.
Andy, never afraid of a challenge, drove us to undertake difficult projects and exceed expectations. He would remind us that we do this work not because it is easy, but because it is hard. He always pushed Bluepoint to do great things and we will continue his legacy.
For the past 20 years, Andy called Austin his home. Always embraced the local lifestyle. Live music was a big part of him whether attending music festivals or playing his bass guitar for friends at home or around town. He loved the outdoors riding his mountain bike on the nature trails. He was always up for a great martini and enjoyed being with friends and making new ones.
Andy’s contributions to the gaming industry will never be forgotten. We are saddened by his passing, but grateful he will forever be a part of our lives.
O’Neil had been a staple of the video game industry since the 90s, kicking off his career with Acclaim before moving on to Retro Studios, and eventually Bluepoint. His passing serves as a reminder of the many contributors necessary to make games in the industry. While O’Neil may not have been a household name, the titles he created live on as some of the most beloved in the industry.
The Nintendojo staff would like to extend our deepest condolences to O’Neil’s family.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
