Veteran Game Industry Figure Joel Hochberg Passes Away

At the age of 87, Joel Hochberg, a pioneering figure in the video game industry and former director of the renowned game studio Rare, has passed away. According to an obituary published in the Miami Herald, he is survived by his loving family, including his wife, children, and grandchildren. Hochberg's journey with Rare began in 1986 when he joined forces with the studio's founders, Tim and Chris Stamper, to spearhead the company's US operations from its Miami, Florida base. Additionally, he held the position of president at Rare Coin-it Inc, a subsidiary focused on developing coin-operated machines. Prior to his tenure at Rare, Hochberg served as vice president at Centuri, a prominent manufacturer of arcade games. His contributions to the gaming industry are acknowledged in the credits of several iconic Rare titles, including GoldenEye, Donkey Kong Country, and Conker's Bad Fur Day. Rare co-founder Tim Stamper took to Twitter to pay tribute to Hochberg, stating, "As President of Rare Coin-it Inc in Miami and former Director of Rare Limited in Twycross, Joel significantly altered the course of history by purchasing our first Nintendo Famicom system during one of his numerous trips to Japan." The Rare games studio also expressed its condolences, saying, "Rest in peace, Joel. Thank you for everything you've done for Rare."