Probe Software co founder, Fergus McGovern, who’s one of the most successful entrepreneurial talents within the Videogames Industry, with over 29 years experience in interactive game and toy development died over the weekend at the young age of 50.
News of McGovern’s death was reported by Crystal Palace Football Club, where McGovern had been a board member for more than 15 years. Develop reported that McGovern’s death was believed to be caused by a blood clot resulting from a transatlantic flight.
McGovern began his career even before he turned 20 and is acclaimed to have generated chart topping games and award winning products retail sales of over US$4.6 billion dollars for his publishing partners. He’s one of the world’s foremost game developers and it was cemented during his time as founder and president of Probe Entertainment.
Probe Software was founded back in 1984 which was later renamed as Probe Entertainment that went on to be acquired by Acclaim Entertainment in 1995 and finally changed to Acclaim Cheltenham that was closed down in 2004.
Probe spearheaded the development of some of the industry’s most successful game franchises including Mortal Kombat, FIFA Soccer and Die Hard Trilogy for the Sony PlayStation. Fergus was also the founder and ex President of HotGen.
Crystal Palace’s statement noted that McGovern had been vice chairman of the Palace Foundation, and that his work for charity earned him the Freedom of the City of London award.
“Fergus has been a near permanent fixture in the boardroom at Palace for over 15 years, becoming one of the club’s first Associate Directors,” Palace said. “In his professional life Fergus was one of the most successful talents within the videogames industry, with over 30 years’ experience in interactive game and toy development.”
McGovern will be truly missed in the gaming industry as the man who believed that he the opportunity to make games that had changed his life.
