Brendan O’Brien dead: Original voice actor of video game character Crash Bandicoot passes away at 60

The original voice actor of Crash Bandicoot, Brendan O’Brien, has died at the age of 60, according to Legacy.com.

O’Brien’s prolific career designing character voices for animation, radio and video games peaked in 1996 when he created the voice for the genetically enhanced bandicoot that would go on to become iconic. 

No details have been released in regards to his cause of death, but he reportedly passed on March 23.

The official twitter account for Crash Bandicoot wrote: ‘Sharing our sincere condolences to Brendan O’Brien’s loved ones for his passing.

‘He was an incredible talent who brought Crash Bandicoot and other Crash characters to life. He will forever live on in the hearts of Crash fans.’ 

Classic: O’Brien’s prolific career designing character voices for animation, radio and video games peaked in 1996 when he created the voice for the genetically enhanced bandicoot that would go on to become iconic; picture from Activision 

The gaming community was hit hard by O’Brien’s passing, with many fans posting their heartbreak on Twitter.

One video game developer wrote: ‘Just heard about the passing of Brendan O’Brien, original Crash Bandicoot voice actor.

‘It’s a huge shock; I’d been a fan of Brendan’s for years, and recently he and I had been talking about having a role in Antonblast, too. Absolutely gutted and blindsided..RIP, man.’

Responding to Crash Bandicoot’s tribute, an O’Brien admirer tweeted: ‘Thank you guys for acknowledging it. The man is a legend, bringing us such incredible characters alongside the most iconic single word voice line in any video game ever.’

The character of Crash usually speaks in gibberish, but he is famous for delivering a quirky way of exclaiming ‘Whoa!’

O’Brien voiced Crash until 2004 – shepherding the character through the nostalgic years when it was controlled by original game developer Naughty Dog.

The original Crash Bandicoot became a video game classic and spawned a massive franchise that includes various spin-offs.

Legacy.com lauded O’Brien for his connection to Crash fans, writing: ‘He encouraged nostalgic Crash fans in their own pursuits and loved signing their memorabilia.’ 

No details have been released in regards to his cause of death, but he reportedly passed away on March 23

The official twitter account for Crash Bandicoot penned a heartfelt tribute to O’Brien 

The gaming community was hit hard by O’Brien’s passing, with many fans posting their heartbreak on Twitter

The character of Crash usually speaks in gibberish, but he is famous for delivering a quirky way of exclaiming ‘Whoa!’

O’Brien voiced Crash until 2004 – shepherding the character through the nostalgic years when it was controlled by original game developer Naughty Dog; picture from Activision 

Legacy.com lauded O’Brien for his connection to Crash fans: ‘He encouraged nostalgic Crash fans in their own pursuits and loved signing their memorabilia’

Born into an acting family, O’Brien grew up in Los Angeles and exhibited musical talent from an early age.

His parents encouraged him to pursue music, and he eventually went on to become an accomplished guitar player.

O’Brien married his wife Ingrid K. Behrens in 2000, and the couple spent a great deal of time in their beloved Los Padres National Forest. 

According to Legacy.com, Brendan and Ingrid ‘enjoyed exploring the trails with their dogs, listening to music and reading (every subject imaginable).’