Bethesda Softworks co-founder and CEO Robert A. Altman passed away on Feb. 4 at the age of 73."He was a true visionary, friend and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together," Bethesda said in a statement posted to its official Twitter account. "He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being." Altman's cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.

Altman was also co-founder of Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, which was purchased by Xbox last year. Other members on ZeniMax's board include prolific Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer and baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. He is survived by his wife Lynda Carter, who is best known for portraying Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series of the same name.

"A sad moment for the games industry. Robert Altman built ZeniMax into what it is today," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella tweeted. "My heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and colleagues."

Bethesda Softworks is responsible for numerous popular video game franchises, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Dishonored, The Terminator, Quake, Doom, Wolfenstein and more. The company is also currently working with Lucasfilm Games to develop a new Indiana Jones adventure.

Source: Twitter