Acclaimed writer Tom Clancy died Tuesday night in a Baltimore hospital near his home while being treated for an as of yet undisclosed illness.

Having launched his career with Hunt for Red October in 1984, Clancy has written well over a dozen novels famed for their realism in military tactics and technical accuracy.  Despite his work in military fiction and novels, Clancy’s name has become equally identifiable for the various military titles from the stealthily tactical Rainbow Six to air combat title H.A.W.X.

Having helped set up the development studio Red Storm Entertainment in the mid-‘90s, he was one of a few acclaimed authors to have his name become so prominently associated with video games. This led to genre defining gameplay from the aforementioned Rainbow Six, and the prolific award winning Ghost Recon among other titles. Another prominent title, the last one to have his name attached, was the recently released Splinter Cell Blacklist.

Ubisoft showed their respect for the author with the following message on their facebook page:

“We are saddened to learn of Tom Clancy’s passing and our condolences go out to his family. Tom Clancy was an extraordinary author with a gift for creating detailed, engrossing fictional stories that captivated audiences around the world.

The teams at Ubisoft, especially at the Red Storm studio, are incredibly grateful to have collaborated with and learned from him, and we are humbled by the opportunity to carry on part of his legacy through our properties that bear his name.”

Tom Clancy’s final novel will be being released in December of this year, Command Authority. He is survived by his wife and four children from his previous marriage.

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