Obituary: DJ Hero producer Will Townsend
EA and Activision veteran the victim of a car crash in Los Angeles
Veteran producer Will Townsend was killed in a car accident in Los Angeles on Monday night.
Townsend, 33, began his career at Electronic Arts in 2001, where rose to the rank of assistant producer on the Command & Conquer and Medal of Honor franchises.
In 2005 he moved to Activision, where he worked his most notable credits included a three game stint on the Guitar Hero franchise - Guitar Hero III, Guitar Hero On Tour and Guitar Hero World Tour - before becoming a producer for the first time on DJ Hero.
In January this year Townsend took a producer role at Nexon, focusing on the company's mobile and social portfolio.
Townsend is remembered by colleagues as enthusiastic, cheerful and funny; a talented producer with a bright future in the games industry.
"He had a knack for the creative, execution, and business aspects of the industry -- all the traits that make a great producer," former EA colleague Amir Rahimi told Gamasutra. "He was also the kind of guy that, no matter how serious a meeting, would find a way to make the room smile."
"One thing that gives me solace is that he lived every minute of his life to the fullest. In his 33 years, he probably experienced more than most people do in 80."