Hey all. Thanks for joining me this week. I’m interrupting my normally scheduled Video Game Tuesday column to honor notable people who we lost over the past year. While this memorial column can’t cover everyone, the following are some really great people who made an impact on gaming, culture, or the world in general.
Pope Francis: Pope Francis served as pope from 2013 until his death in 2025, and he was admired by many for his humility, compassion, and efforts to reach people far beyond the walls of the Church. His passing marked the end of a remarkable era.
Ozzy Osbourne: Ozzy Osbourne was one of the defining voices of heavy metal and a larger-than-life cultural figure whose influence stretched far beyond music. For decades, his presence helped to shape pop culture, and his loss was felt across generations of fans.
Drew Struzan: Drew Struzan created some of the most iconic movie poster art of all time, including his unforgettable works for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future. His style helped define how generations of fans imagined adventure, fantasy, and heroism.
Michelle Trachtenberg: Michelle Trachtenberg was a gifted actress remembered by many for her work in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harriet the Spy, and Gossip Girl. She brought warmth, wit, and heart to her performances, and her death at just 39 was especially sad.
Frank Gehry: Frank Gehry was one of the most celebrated architects of his era, known for his bold and imaginative buildings like the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. His work reshaped modern architecture and left an unmistakable influence on the visual world around us.
Vince Zampella: Vince Zampella was the guy behind Call of Duty, and one of the founders of Infinity Ward (one of the main Call of Duty Studios). He was also key in founding Respawn Entertainment, which made the genre-breaking Titanfall titles. His loss is a real tragedy for the gaming community.
The year 2025 was a sad one with the loss of so many people who helped shape entertainment, culture, design, and the way so many of us see the world. No single memorial column can ever fully measure what they meant to their fans, their communities, or culture in general. But it is still worth taking a moment to remember them, to appreciate what they gave us, and to acknowledge that the world feels a little smaller when voices like these are gone.
