Bethesda Softworks announced today that Robert A. Altman, the founder, president and CEO of Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, has passed away.
“We are deeply saddened to tell you about the death of Robert A. Altman, our founder and CEO,” the company announced on Twitter. “He was a true visionary, friend and believer in the spirit of people and in the power of what they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader and an even better human being.”
The company’s website features a warning about Altman’s death, saying, “CEO. Visionary. Friend. 1947-2021.” No cause of death was provided.
Altman started ZeniMax with Christopher Weaver in 1999, as the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, which Weaver had started in the mid-1980s. The two fell out and Weaver left the company in a few years, but Altman went on to command ZeniMax for decades .
During this period, ZeniMax expanded its business beyond Bethesda, acquiring studios such as id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames and Alpha Dog Studios.
In addition, it branched out with the creation of ZeniMax Online Studios and Roundhouse Studios (formed by former Human Head developers).
Recently, ZeniMax found itself on the other side of an acquisition agreement, accepting a $ 7.5 billion offer from Microsoft to join the original Xbox studio system.