In context: Viktor Antonov designed one of the most iconic locations in Half-Life 2, Valve's seminal first-person shooter. His former colleagues broke the news about his passing on social media, highlighting how Antonov's work made a significant contribution to several video game projects. Former colleagues confirmed Viktor Antonov's passing on social media, highlighting his significant contributions to multiple video game projects. Antonov designed one of the most iconic locations in Valve's first-person shooter Half-Life 2.Born in Bulgaria in 1972, Antonov immigrated to Paris in 1989 before eventually moving to the United States. He began his career in the late 1990s as a 'map painter' on the hillbilly-themed first-person shooter Redneck Rampage. Valve hired him in 2004 as an art director on Half-Life 2.Antonov conceived City 17, the oppressive Brutalist metropolis that serves as the opening setting of Half-Life 2. Any gamer who has played Half-Life 2 knows City 17 well. The game continues to influence modern titles despite never receiving a proper sequel because Valve still can't count to three.Even today, I still daydream about my first time playing Half-Life 2, tearing through City 17's crumbling buildings and hidden courtyards in a fight against the Combine. When the weather and sunlight hit just right, I can almost "see" Antonov's visionary work in real life a bit miraculous, considering the game barely ran on my rusty Pentium 4 back in the day.Viktor Antonov, le directeur artistique sur Half-Life 2 et la franchise Dishonored, est dcd. L'information a t confirme par Marc Laidlaw, ex-ead writer chez Valve sur Half-Life.[image or embed] FdeSousse (@taleboules.bsky.social) 16 febbraio 2025 alle ore 09:24After Half-Life 2, Antonov joined Arkane Studios as a visual designer on Dishonored. In his later years, he primarily worked as a consultant on several projects, including Wolfenstein: The New Order, Fallout 4, and Dishonored 2. He also contributed to id Software's DOOM (2016), Prey, and two upcoming games: Project C by Darewise Entertainment and Project DG by Eschatology Entertainment. // Related StoriesFormer Valve writer Marc Laidlaw first confirmed Antonov's passing on Bluesky, describing him as the visionary art lead on Half-Life 2 a brilliant and original artist who "made everything better." Arkane founder Raphael Colantonio also praised the Bulgarian-born designer, stating that Antonov was instrumental in the studio's early success. Although he was still relatively young when he passed, he leaves an indelible mark on the history of gaming.