Gamasutra has learned that longtime video game artist Stephen Hornback passed away on Saturday due to a heart attack. He was 62.
Hornback is best known for his work at Apogee Software (which later created the publishing label 3D Realms and went on to adopt it as its primary brand) on everything from Duke Nukem II to Rise of the Triad to Shadow Warrior. He also claimed responsibility for designing the original 3D Realms logo, which is still in use today.
3D Realms marked Hornback's passing with a Facebook post today that included obituary details and the following remembrance from Apogee founder Scott Miller:
"He was the first artist I hired in the early '90s and he was a great artist working during a time when the tools and techniques were very primitive. My highest respect for him. His work will live on forever in Rise of the Triad, Duke Nukem 3D and several other games."
Hornback left 3D Realms in 2000 and spent time working on various games at Rogue Entertainment (American McGee's Alice) and Ritual Entertainment (SiN Episodes: Emergence) before joining up with indie studio Soldak (Din's Curse) as an artist and co-owner.