Game Developer has learned about the passing of UI engineer Patrick "Thor" Gass, a US Marines veteran who worked on Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and several entries in the Call of Duty series.
The news was shared by his family through an obituary shared via a Wisconson funeral home. In it, his loved ones described how a passion for video games and programming landed him a job in Nevada programming slot machines before joining Middleton-area developer Raven Software. He left the Activision Blizzard-owned subsidiary studio in 2022 for a job at Insomniac Games, where he helped implement the UI and accessibility features seen in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
According to his LinkedIn page, he also did "some foundational work" on the still-in-development Marvel's Wolverine. He was also a regular conference associate at Game Developers Conference. His friends gave him the nickname "Thor" during his time studying at DigiPen Institute of Technology.
Friends and colleagues of Gass have left comments on his obituary celebrating his kind-hearted nature and "great ear for listening."
Representatives for Raven Software and Insomnaic Games also left messages for Gass and his family. "Thor remains part of Raven Software's enduring legacy," the former company wrote in a statement. "His contributions, spirit, and presence left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege to work alongside him."
When not working on video games, Gass collected "vintage and obscure gaming machines and consoles," as well as vinyl records and antique and one-of-a-kind board games. He shared this passion for collection with his family.
Gass is survived by his son Noble, Noble's mother Yvonne, as well as his mother Donna and brother Timothy, as well as extended family and friends.
Game Developer and Game Developers Conference are sibling organizations under Informa.
Update 8/7: This story has been updated to correctly identify Gass' service in the US Marines.
