Renowned Level Designer ‘Levelord’ of Duke Nukem and Quake Fame Passes Away

Richard ‘Levelord’ Gray has reportedly passed away, as confirmed by those close to the iconic level designer who crafted memorable maps for beloved titles like Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Sin.

Known in the gaming community as Levelord, Gray shared in a 2016 interview that he didn’t start creating maps for games like Doom until he was 35. He joined the Duke Nukem 3D team in his 40s, which was relatively late compared to many of his peers in the shooter genre during the ’90s and early 2000s. After his time with Duke, he founded his own studio, which eventually became Ritual Entertainment. This team was responsible for Quake’s first mission pack, Scourge of Armagon, as well as titles like Sin, Star Trek: Elite Force 2, and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero.

While at Ritual, Gray designed “The Edge of Oblivion,” the third and final secret level of Scourge of Armagon. This level is often credited as the first to feature the “islands in space” or “platform in the void” style, which would go on to influence many later FPS games, including Unreal Tournament and Quake 3 Arena. He also created the multiplayer map “Behind Zee Bookcase” in Sin, recognized as one of the first 3D FPS levels that made players feel like tiny explorers in a real-world setting.

During his time on Duke Nukem 3D, Gray became well-known for hiding Easter egg messages in parts of the map that could only be accessed through cheats. Players who discovered these secrets would find a message from Levelord: “You’re not supposed to be here.”

In a 2016 interview, when asked how he was confident players would find the now-famous secret, Gray remarked:

“Did we give you the cheat codes to find easily? Then, of course, most all of you would be flying around, seeing what you could break, find easter eggs the easy way … bingo! I gave you an easter egg that you had to cheat to find.”

Following the news of his passing, developers who worked with Gray took to social media to honor the legendary designer.

“Devastating news today,” shared John Romero, co-creator of Doom. “Richard ‘Levelord’ Gray was such a great guy. Like many of our friends, I wish I could have hung out with him again. He was full of life, a gentle soul, and an excellent level designer. He was called ‘Levelord’ for a reason.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Richard ‘Levelord’ Gray. From his legendary work on Duke Nukem 3D to the countless players and developers he inspired, Richard leaves behind a lasting legacy. Rest in peace, Levelord.”

“A heartbreaking day. Richard was a stellar talent who joined the game industry in his 40s when he was hired to join the Duke 3D team,” posted Scott Miller, founder of Apogee. “He was a relentless hard worker, a fun teammate, and an overall great human. His levels in Duke Nukem 3D and Sin will live on forever. And Richard created one of the best easter eggs in gaming history: ‘You’re not supposed to be here! — Levelord.’ RIP.”

Joe Siegler, a fellow developer from 3D Realms/Apogee Software, shared that he learned of Gray’s passing from his wife and noted that Gray had battled cancer over the years, although no official cause of death has been confirmed.

“We worked together back at Apogee/3DR for a few years mostly on Duke Nukem 3D,” said Siegler. “Such a fun time in my life. We stayed in touch long after he left to found Ritual. Many dinners together with the local crew. So many memories. So sad from this, but I know what cancer does. Much love to the Gray family.”

Gray is survived by his wife and daughter. He was 68 years old.