Paul McLaughlin, art director for Fable and many other beloved games, has died at the age of 57. He ed away in December of 2021 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
An industry veteran of over 30 years, McLaughlin began his career in game development at Emerald Software in 1988 before moving to the well-known Bullfrog Productions in 1990. There he played a key role in the art design of a number of acclaimed classics, such as Populous II, Syndicate, Theme Park, and Dungeon Keeper, among many others. When Lionhead Studios was founded as an offshoot of Bullfrog, McLaughlin signed on as art director of Black & White, and he reprised that role for the original Fable in 2004. McLaughlin remained an essential member of the studio until Lionhead's controversial shutdown in 2016. He then moved on to become head of art at independent developer 22cans.
The UK game development community has paid tribute to McLaughlin following the news of his death, and citing Fable as one of their favorite games alongside McLaughlin's other work. He is survived by his wife Evie, his son Conor, and his two daughters Louise and Evy.
Rest in Peace Paul McLaughlin, 1964 - 2021
Source: Eurogamer
