Bethesda Softworks announced today that Robert A. Altman, the founder, chairman and CEO of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media, has passed away.
“We are very sad to tell you about the passing 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 the power of what they could achieve together. He was an extraordinary leader and an even better person.”
The company’s website contains a notice about Altman’s death, entitled “CEO. Visionary. Friend. 1947-2021.” No cause of death was given.
Altman started ZeniMax with Christopher Weaver in 1999 as a parent company for Bethesda Softworks, which Weaver started in the mid 80’s. The two dropped out and Weaver was out of the company within a few years, but Altman ran ZeniMax for decades.
During that time, ZeniMax grew its business beyond Bethesda, acquiring studios such as Id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames, and Alpha Dog Studios.
In addition, it leaves with the creation of ZeniMax Online Studios and Roundhouse Studios (consisting of former Human Head developers).
Recently, ZeniMax found itself on the other side of a procurement deal and accepted a $ 7.5 billion offer from Microsoft to join the Xbox first-party studio system.