Bethesda, ZeniMax Media CEO Robert Altman Has Died

Bethesda Softworks announced today that one of the publisher’s co-founders and its acting CEO, Robert Altman, has died. Altman was 74 years old.

Altman served as the CEO of Bethesda at the group’s parent company, ZeniMax Media. In 1999, Altman founded ZeniMax alongside Christopher Weaver, the founder of Bethesda, to serve as a new owner for the publishing label. Since that time, Altman had served as the company CEO leading up to his death. Prior to his work in the video game industry, Altman also served time as a lawyer in Washington D.C.

In its statement released on Twitter, Bethesda described Altman as a “true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together.” The message went on to say that Altman had sent out emails on a weekly basis to the company’s employees throughout the pandemic to make sure that they stayed encouraged and took time for themselves. “We are proud to carry on the values and principles Robert taught us,” Bethesda’s message went on to say.

While Altman was perhaps most well-known for his work at ZeniMax and Bethesda, he was also married to Lynda Carter, the iconic actress who portrayed Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV show. Altman and Carter were married in 1984 and had two children together. Carter herself even appeared as a voice cameo in The Elder Scrolls III, IV, V, and Online, surely due to her connection to Bethesda through her husband.

Altman’s passing comes not long before ZeniMax Media as a whole is slated to be acquired by Microsoft. The deal, which was announced last year, is set to go through within the coming months. It’s a move that will surely leave a lasting legacy for Altman and his time at Zenimax.

Our well wishes go out to Altman’s family, friends, and those who have been affected by his passing.