When I was asked to write an introduction for a tribute to Brad McQuaid, I admit, I was a bit overwhelmed. I felt very honored, to be sure, but my thoughts immediately went to “oh my goodness, how can I write something that would do the memory of Brad justice?” I mean, this guy has made his mark! He was one of the creators of EverQuest – a game that played a pivotal role in the evolution of online gaming. He is revered by many people as one of the very first pioneers of MMORPGs. Not only did his work have a completely profound effect on my own personal life–from my friends and social circles all the way to my career and the way I see certain aspects of the world–but he had also touched so many thousands of other lives. And that’s how it dawned on me: Brad’s story isn’t just about Brad. It is about an entire community that spans generations; an entire industry; and how so many lives were touched and changed, and Brad was just happy to be a part of all of it.
Brad loved people. As a self-proclaimed introvert, he would expend a lot of energy in crowds, but it also gave him much joy. In the beginning days of Pantheon’s development, he just wanted us all to be together. Sure, we could meet remotely over video chats, and we did for much of it, but nothing got him more excited than having everyone together in person. When we went to conventions, he would ask me with deep sincerity to keep an eye on him. When he looked fatigued, he asked that I supply him with some rejuvenating caffeine and a few minutes recovery so that he could get back to the eager crowds. He didn’t want to miss any of it. As exhausted as he was at the end of the day, he still wanted to share a cozy dinner and some light laughter with the team, or go back to our accommodations so we could all play video games together in a relaxed setting of camaraderie. Sometimes, he would fall asleep while we gathered, but always with a content smile from being a part of something that brought people together.
I think that’s what Brad did best: he brought people together. From finding dynamic and passionate people to work on the project to bringing hundreds of thousands of people together in the games he made, Brad connected lives. His worlds were a conduit to countless friendships that would have otherwise never happened. His mailboxes were filled with tales of making new friends, of forming new relationships, marriages, and even families.
Below, you’ll find a few of those tales from some of the staff at Visionary Realms. These are personal tales, and just a sampling of the countless stories out there from people whose lives he touched.
Brad is sorely missed, but his legacy continues. His works are still used as a source of inspiration for rewarding, meaningful gameplay. His worlds are still bringing people together. The story continues in community and friendships and Brad is still very much a part of that, and I’m pretty sure he still has a content smile on his face.
– Benjamin Dean
I don’t know where to start. I really can’t remember not knowing him. His love for games, his passion to create or modify rules for games is something that always stands out for me. Even before finding video games, he created rulesets and made up games using cutout paper models, matchbox cars, and legos. His knack for knowing what kept people playing games could be seen in his influence over EverQuest, Vanguard, and Pantheon. – Artois (Customer Service)
I knew Brad from the time we were in our mid teens, and he was always wanting to get people together, whether it was gathering our group of friends, or with people on the internet. Whatever he wanted to do, it was always going to be better with a group. So when we were designing EQ, he was always wanting to find ways to make people have to work together, because adventuring and overcoming challenges together formed strong bonds and kept people engaged in the game far longer than they would have otherwise. We see that vision of his in Pantheon today, where the game really shines and reminds people of EQ the most when people gather together in a group to overcome challenges in the goblin caves or Halnir. It’s those shared experiences that really make an MMO an MMO, and is what has been so lacking with games that followed EQ as they became increasingly solo focused. I miss Brad greatly, but I am thankful to see his legacy of gathering people together for an adventure living on in Pantheon. – Steve (Programming)
I remember the first time I met Brad in person. He picked me up at the airport after my flight out to San Diego for our first in-person meeting as a team. He was a larger than life celebrity in my eyes then, and I spent most of that trip swallowed up in the nearly unbelievable reality of working on a game next to the man himself. I probably spent just as much time gushing to him about how I couldn’t believe I was sitting there, and the events that had led up to this moment, as we did discussing anything related to game design. Over the years since that first encounter, my anxious enamorment gave way to a friendship. My first time running through Terminus with Aradune Mithara became my thousandth. The butterflies I felt on the first design call with him evolved into intense creative sessions, laughter and sometimes the frictions that can be born when two people, two friends, work closely on something they are so passionate about.
This project exists because of Brad McQuaid. Each of us here have this opportunity of a lifetime because of that man and his ability to impart vision and passion into those around him. As one who got to sit in the engine room and forge a world with the man who had inspired me to love MMORPGs in the first place, it’s my honor to celebrate Brad today. He did in life what he ultimately wanted to do. Create, inspire, shake things up – and never give up. I am forever grateful to him and to this project that carries on his legacy, his pride and his joy with it. – Chris Perkins/Joppa (Design)
Our most used Bradism over the years is, of course, “Rock On!” Brad could get people excited about Pantheon like no other, as his vision grew and evolved. He never tired of it and gave everything he had to bring Terminus to life. We miss him greatly. – Jeanna (Human Resources)
Ever since I first reached out during the Kickstarter campaign for Pantheon, Brad McQuaid was nothing but kind, encouraging, and fiercely supportive. Though I came on to do graphic design, Brad always pushed me to contribute more, to think bigger—not just about the game, but about the world we were building. He didn’t want to make something you played and left—he wanted to make something you lived in, and I was always in awe of that ambition. I tell this story often, but my favorite moment with Brad was at PAX East in 2018, showing the game to the public on our biggest stage yet. We were buzzing with excitement and nerves, driving in with Joppa and Convo, when Brad launched into a spontaneous lesson on the correct pronunciation of all the cities and names in EverQuest. The three of us were all hilariously off—and after Brad corrected us — we laughed so hard it melted the tension. That night, back at the Airbnb, we didn’t talk as coworkers—we dreamed together as friends. Every day, we still chase Brad’s vision: a game world we don’t just play, but one we belong to.– Roenick (Design)
I was fortunate enough to get to know Brad a little over the years leading up to Pantheon. He was one of those rare people who would respond to an email out of the blue…even if he didn’t know you. That’s how it began for me. Somehow, I went from sending that first message to actually working on Pantheon. That was Brad. He gave people chances. He believed in them. I wouldn’t be working in this industry if not for him. I think a lot of people can say the same. He had a way of bringing people together—not just as developers, but as believers in something bigger.
I’m grateful we’re able to celebrate him today by continuing a shared dream—one that goes beyond making just a game. We’re building something meaningful, something people can escape to, connect through, and find a little bit of magic in. Thank you, Brad. – Tim (Design)
I didn’t play MMOs, I barely knew what EQ was, so I wasn’t possessed by the reverence for Brad that grips most. My first conversation with him was about the Silmarillion and a few submissions I made when I applied. It was easy, devoid of pretense or pomp. Just two guys talking about a book they loved.
Brad will always be the man who trusted me when I was a complete unknown, with very little work to show. That he carried himself with an utter lack of concern that I didn’t know his reputation was icing on the cake. For him, what I could do to help build the world was all that mattered. – JN (Design)
Brad was the person who introduced me to the possibility of an interactive fantasy world. He’s the reason my household signed up for dial-up internet so I could access that world. I remember watching a friend play Everquest and my jaw dropping to see other players walking around in shared space and adventure awaiting in every direction. This was such a big step up from chat rooms and walls of text that I thought were pushing the limits of our technology back then. Years later I got to meet Brad virtually in Vanguard and then eventually help with the project there. I’ve been so excited about Pantheon ever since then. It has been a dream come true to be able to help his final vision take shape. His heart for personal connection through online gaming has helped shape the industry and impact countless lives. – Fusoya (Design)
I never had the chance to meet Brad personally, but through all the years and the different games he worked on two things really stood out to me. First, how he often talked about MMORPGs as fully realized virtual worlds that we inhabit, explore, care about and participate in, rather than just games that we play and complete. Second, that he anchored his vision in principles and tenets that he wanted to achieve, rather than just a list of nice-sounding gameplay features. Those qualities are what set his games apart from so many others out there, and the reason I started following Pantheon and eventually joined the team. – Nephele (Design)
I did not know Brad, but there are a handful of people who created the entire MMORPG genre, and he was one of them. He had a gift of creativity that wasn’t hampered by the “this can’t be done” mindset, and instead he worked from a “what if it could be done?” mindset. The games that followed EverQuest have all tried to be what EverQuest was, but those who have followed the genre know, there will never be another. So here we are, building Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, not just to give a nod to the games that started this, but to push the genre in a direction that we can all be proud of. Brad’s influence still lingers. – Savanja (Community)
I unfortunately did not get to work with Brad, or meet him in person, but it seems that his creations have been destined to always be a part of my life and often change its direction. They are what drove me to join the industry and fulfill my dream of working on EQ after playing it for so long. More than a decade later, I find myself yet again surrounded by a world that his passion and creativity sculpted. There is so much inspiration to be found in his creations, and I will always be incredibly grateful to have experienced, and been given a chance to help craft them. – Cody (Design)
As a relatively new member on the team, I wasn’t too familiar with Brad’s work or even who he was (I wasn’t particularly a huge MMO fan until a few years ago), but I thought to casually mention his name to a friend who was an OG MMO fan after joining Visionary Realms- I did hear his name a lot here. He immediately recognized Brad and told me how insanely influential he was for MMORPG’s. From how he talked about Brad, I realized we were not just talking about someone who was an extremely passionate veteran dev, but an actual legend in the industry- someone who still is one of the greatest minds to ever work on a video game.
I wish I could’ve met him- The passion in my friend’s words still echo in my head, and reading about what he meant to the people on this team convinced me that not only was he a legendary dev, but also a good and genuine person. Hearing about his background floored me, and honestly, I was pretty disappointed in myself for not knowing who he was before joining VR. I definitely know now, and I am more than determined to help achieve the vision he had for Pantheon. It’s the least I can do for someone like him. – Jim (Design)