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Obituary: Former Sega of America president Bernie Stolar has passed away

Stolar was perhaps best known for leading development on the Dreamcast.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

June 27, 2022

1 Min Read
A headshot of the late Bernie Stolar

Former Sega of America president and Sony Computer Entertainment America vice president Bernie Stolar has passed away.

The news was shared by GamesBeat, which said that Stolar's funeral service took place in Los Angeles over the weekend.

Stolar was a prominent figure in the games industry for decades and worked on the original PlayStation while at Sony, helping to launch the popular system while also signing key franchises including Crash Bandicoot, Ridge Racer, and Spyro the Dragon.

During his time at Sega, Stolar led development on the Dreamcast and acquired Visual Concepts, which was eventually sold to Take-Two Interactive and used by the publisher to create its 2K label.

Later on, Stolar became an advisor and director at in-game advertising company Adscape Media, which would later be purchased by Google.

Google then brought Stolar on board as its own games evangelist, helping the influential figure add to his already extensive résumé.

Those who knew Stolar have been paying tribute on social media after hearing news of his passing.

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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