Zenimax CEO Robert A. Altman dies aged 73 Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Zenimax CEO Robert A. Altman dies aged 73 "He was a true visionary." News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 5 Feb 2021 12 comments Robert A. Altman, co-founder and CEO of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media, has died at the age of 73. Born in 1947, Altman initially worked as a lawyer, before setting up ZeniMax Media in 1999 alongside Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver. Altman later took over as its sole boss and has headed the company ever since. "We are deeply saddened to tell you of the passing of Robert A. Altman, our Founder and CEO," ZeniMax said in a statement posted to Twitter. "He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being." No cause of death was mentioned. During Altman's time in charge, ZeniMax grew to become a parent company to numerous other game developers, such as id Software, Arkane, MachineGames and Tango Gameworks. And, of course, it will soon become a part of Xbox Game Studios, following Microsoft's announcement of a $7.5bn buyout. In his personal life, Altman was married to Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter. One of their sons, James, also works at ZeniMax. During his career in corporate law, Altman was frequently called to testify in front of US Congress when representing major companies. In one instance, when representing his own part in investigations into British bank BCCI, Altman insisted on putting himself on trial for five months to maintain his innocence over bribery charges. The charges were dismissed, though Altman agreed to give up banking. "There really are no words," Bethesda game design director Emil Pagliarulo wrote in tribute. "It's an extremely sad day for Bethesda Studios and ZeniMax. If you love our games, it's because of Robert's love for what we did, and his trust in our dreams." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store