UPDATE: A Memorial College Fund has been set up for the family of Paul Steed. Please consider contributing to the fund by making a donation via paypal to trentsteed36@gmail.com
We are deeply saddened by the news that Paul Steed, one of our close friends and one of the most memorable guests on The Jace Hall Show, has passed away.
At this time, the details of his death remain unclear. Paul leaves behind a wife and children and our heart goes out to them during this difficult time.
Fans of The Jace Hall Show will always remember Paul for his unforgettable appearance in Season 1, which has become one of the most memorable moments on the show thanks to Paul’s charismatic sense of humor and unapologetic approach. As lucky as we are to have had Paul as part of the history of our show, his accomplishments in the gaming industry are truly what stands out.
Paul Steed’s gaming career is marked by innumerable accomplishments; he was simply one of the first cutting edge low-poly 3D modelers to ever exist in the industry.
His career began in 1991 at Origin Systems, after he answered an ad for a “fantasy artist.” Paul said he didn’t touch a mouse until he was twenty-seven, which was hard to believe for anyone who saw his work. His talents would eventually take him to project and art director for some of the biggest gaming companies on the face of the planet, namely id Software, Electronic Arts, and Atari to name a few.
He enjoyed one of the most diverse careers of any gaming professional in recent memory, working in nearly every aspect of the gaming industry — from console makers (XBOX) to development (iD software, EA) to publishers (Atari) to building his own gaming company (Exigent).
He was the author of several books on 3D modeling, including, Modeling a Character in 3DS Max and Animating Real-Time Game Characters. He was the Keynote Speaker at The Game Developer’s Conference in 2008, giving advice to enthusiastic gamers looking to break into the business.
For a list of Paul’s credits, look here.
Paul was notably also no stranger to controversy, partly spun from the infamous Crackwhore character he created for Quake II. Some lambasted him for it, but for those who knew Paul, it spoke to how true to his own nature he was.
He pulled no punches. You knew what he believed in. He made no neverminds about who he was and didn’t try to be anything else.
He was who he was and believed none of us should pretend to be otherwise. This from a Gamasutra interview in 2008 before the GDC:
“When you get in the door don’t wear a suit and tie. I turned up for a warehouse job wearing a suit and tie and they knew that I didn’t ‘get the job’.
If you show up for working in a game company wearing a suit, they aren’t going to trust you. Show up in character. Be real. People want real. The game industry is about being real — not only about being real but staying real.”
He didn’t believe the world was supposed to be easy, Paul challenged himself by encouraging others to participate in his endeavors, launching contests where he would sponsor winners who competed against him with their work, namely the “Bad Girl” and “Cute Doll” contests.

He is a man who reminds us that nothing is given to us in the world, we have to use our passions in whatever way we know how to go out and achieve what our heart desires.
Paul Steed’s vision can best be summed up in this description from his keynote speech, in which he describes what it takes to make it in the gaming industry:
“The real trick is staying known, staying relevant and staying excited about what you do. Our little ‘game industry that could’ has become the juggernaut that won’t be stopped. Ambition, hard work, perseverance, luck and shameless self-promotion – it’s all part of the deal.”
Thank you for all the memories, work, and gaming goodness you’ve left behind, Paul. You will be missed but never forgotten.
You are now on the next level. Game on. STEED!
The Jace Hall Show.
Paul Nyhart – who has written 891 posts on The Jace Hall Show.
Paul Nyhart is the Head Editor and Writer of JaceHallShow.com covering everything from game reviews and previews to the cultural impact of video games.

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