BioWare veteran and Anthem lead designer Corey Gaspur dies

BioWare veteran and lead designer for the upcoming sci-fi action game Anthem, Corey Gaspur, has died, the studio announced on Monday (31 July). Gaspur worked at BioWare for over nine years, serving as a gameplay and level designer on Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins.

He was also lead combat director on Mass Effect 3 and consulted on numerous other games from BioWare publisher EA, including Star Wars: Battlefront and Mirror's Edge: Catalyst.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Corey Gaspur," BioWare said in a blog post.

"Corey was a talented designer and an even better person. We offer our condolences to Corey's family and everyone that knew him. We will miss you."

The brief statement did not state how Gaspur died.

Many of his fellow BioWare colleagues took to social media to express their grief following the news.

Mass Effect veteran and new BioWare General Manager Casey Hudson tweeted: "So sad to have lost a member of the BioWare family. Corey Gaspur was an amazing designer and friend. I will miss him greatly."

"I am going to miss Corey with all my heart.He was an amazing man and talented designer. It was an honor to know him," Dragon Age director Mike Laidlaw wrote.

Anthem director Jonathan Warner tweeted: "Good bye my friend, you will be sorely missed."

The last game Gaspur worked on, Anthem, was announced at E3 in June. A new IP for BioWare, the game is an online multiplayer sci-fi action game set for release towards the end of 2018.