10 Gaming Creators Who Died In 2019

10. Steve Bak - Feb 7, 2019

Steve Bak was one of the earliest pioneers of the home computer market, having worked on numerous titles for the Atari ST in the 1980s. He passed away in February at the age of 66, following complications from diabetes. His most well-known work was probably Goldrunner for the Atari ST, but that was only one of many credits to his name.

That game was notable for showing that smooth scrolling was possible on the system, and it led to the creation of more vertical shooter games. He also teamed up with Chris Sorrell to work on James Pond for Millennium.

His other work includes James Pond 2: Robocod and also the Aquatic Games for Millennium. Some of his more recent work includes designing for Disney Universe and programming for Dead Space: Extraction, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

He had a long battle with diabetes and was eulogized by his son, Philip, who said of his time with his father, "He gave me my love of programming and would always let me get involved in whatever he was working (or playing) on. And whilst watching him being asked at computer shows for an autograph never stopped feeling silly, I was ever so proud. I hope he knew that."