Richard 'Levelord' Gray, Duke Nukem 3D Level Designer, Dies at 68
Apogee Entertainment announced Gray's death on social media on October 13, 2026. He was 68 and had dealt with cancer on and off.
Richard Gray, the level designer known as Levelord who worked on Duke Nukem 3D, has died at 68, Apogee Entertainment announced on social media on October 13, 2026.
Friend Joe Siegler said Gray had dealt with cancer on and off for a while, and that the news came from Gray's wife, Olga.
Gray began working in the game industry with Duke Nukem 3D in 1996, serving as a level and map designer. Background from Apogee founder Scott Miller places his entry into the studio earlier: he has said the company hired Gray out of the Doom mod scene in 1994, when Gray was in his 40s. Gray himself said in a 2016 interview with Duke64Nukem.com that he was 35 when he made his first Doom level.
Shortly after Duke Nukem 3D launched, Gray left 3D Realms and co-founded Hipnotic Interactive, the studio later renamed Ritual Entertainment. There he worked on games including Quake: Scourge of Armagon, Sin, Star Trek: Elite Force 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, and 25 to Life.
Quick answers
How old was Richard Gray when he died?
Gray, known as Levelord, was 68 years old.
What games did Richard Gray work on?
He began with Duke Nukem 3D in 1996, and later worked at Ritual Entertainment on games including Quake: Scourge of Armagon, Sin, Star Trek: Elite Force 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, and 25 to Life.