Numerous reports have today confirmed the death of best-selling author Tom Clancy. Clancy reportedly passed away on Tuesday at a hospital near his home in Maryland, following a brief illness. He was 66.

Clancy was best known for his numerous military-themed novels, as well as the blockbuster films that spawned from them, including The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. His prolificacy and success combined to make him a ubiquitous figure and brand within the literary world.

That brand extended into the video game industry in 1996, when Clancy co-founded Red Storm Entertainment alongside Doug Littlejohns. Red Storm produced multiple Clancy-branded games--including Politika and the earliest games in the Rainbow Six franchise--before the studio was sold to Ubisoft in 2000. Red Storm continues to exist, and has served as the primary developer on the Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon franchises. Clancy's name has also been attached to Ubisoft's Splinter Cell, H.A.W.X., and EndWar franchises, as well as its upcoming game The Division.

Though Clancy likely had little direct involvement in the development of those games, his name will forever be associated with these franchises, and likely numerous future franchises as well, as Clancy sold the rights to his name to Ubisoft outright in 2008.

"We are saddened to learn of Tom Clancy’s passing and our condolences go out to his family," a representative from Ubisoft wrote on the company's Facebook page this morning. "Tom Clancy was an extraordinary author with a gift for creating detailed, engrossing fictional stories that captivated audiences around the world. The teams at Ubisoft, especially at the Red Storm studio, are incredibly grateful to have collaborated with and learned from him, and we are humbled by the opportunity to carry on part of his legacy through our properties that bear his name."

RIP

I never finished The Bear and The Dragon, or Rainbow Six.

RIP.

RIP

I wonder if Ubi will drop the "Tom Clancy's" from their games like Codemasters did back when Colin died.

The Bear and the Dragon was terrible, for the record

RIP

Dude was a lot younger than I thought. Damn shame.

I wouldn't mind a Tom Clancy game marathon. If @alexisg and @drewbert don't have any plans for Extra Life yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfoWZGknO78

I loved the Rainbow Six books and games. RIP.

@abendlaender: They have already released a statement and they won't.

He's not actually dead. That's what THEY want you to think. It's all a big conspiracy. I know, I have played Tom Clancy games before !

More seriously, that is a shame to see such a talented author disappear. RIP.

The circumstances of Colin McRae's death where way more controversial than Tom Clancy's

Talk about a legacy. Tom Clancy was the finest author of military fiction to ever put pen to paper. Sad to hear of his passing. Rest in peace!

I propose a Tom Clancy themed Unprofessional Fridays in rememberance!

Good night sweet prince.

I was a fan of his work he was one of the very few people whose books I would actually read even though I really don't like reading.

Rainbow Six: Rouge Spear and it's expansion Urban Operations are two of my favorite games of all time. I would love to see a tribute stream like they did with Star Wars

R.I.P.

How great is the Hunt for the Red October, you guys. So great.

Any chance of a Clancy catalogue TNT/Unprofessional Friday?

Little known fact: his son is actually a Giant Bomb member.

But thom still lives

All Clancy fans should read Without Remorse - my favorite book of all time. Dark and satisfying tale of revenge.

They still used Colin McRae for Dirt 2, just not in North America. I'm sure that had more to do with a general lack of name recognition than anything. And Dirt used real world racers and events; those are things that you can't attribute to Colin McRae. The Clancy games are based on a fiction created by Tom Clancy. They would keep using that branding the same way that Robert Ludlum's name is still attached to books set in the worlds he created

Such a shame. 66 is too young to go. Rainbow Six was the first novel I ever bought for myself come to think of it - never did play any of the games other than Vegas though.

Conspiracy!

jokes aside... I am sorry to hear he died at 66. He has left a massive mark on media of all kinds.

I'd be down to explore some of Tom Clancy inspired games as a form of tribute.

Excellent idea, I had forgotten all the fun times that were had last year with the Halo games.

"proflicacy" wat

@blu3v3nom07: Rainbow Six was one of my favorite books in high school. Might have to read it again, its been a long while.

Oh, no, that's terrible. I also thought he was much older. He led a very accomplished life.

RIP Tom Cuh-Lancy

Never really got into many of the games bearing his name, but I have quite the collection of his books. A great author, and a man who will be sorely missed.

@grissefar:

Interesting fact! Thanks for sharing. My condolences to Tom's son and fellow GB member.

What?!? Wow!!! Rip.... :(

The father of tactical shooters :(

RIP T-Clance, you're the reason I got so many D's in high school and I don't regret a damn thing.

RIP

Sad to hear. Will have to gank some terrorists in his honor today.

@avaren: I think this was supposed to be prolificacy

Such a shame. Only 66 years old too.

"His proflicacy and success combined to make him a ubiquitous figure and brand within the literary world."

I'm not following "proflicacy" here; either you mean "prolificity," meaning that he was prolific, or you mean "profligacy," meaning that he was wasteful and extravagant. The latter is only one letter away from the word you typed, but it's also kind of insulting.

Sad to hear this. Loved his writing.

I've never read a Tom Clancy novel, but even I have felt his impact on American pop culture. RIP Tom, you will be missed. Any suggestions on which story I should buy first?

Patriot Games, Without Remorse are my favorites. Hunt for Red October and The Cardinal In The Kremlin are pretty good too

66 is no age. RIP.

R.I.P. he will be missed.

( ;ᅀ; )ゞ

Ding Chavez will live in our hearts and minds forever.

RIP

o7

This is a real shame. I have enjoyed the film adaptations of his stories, all my life. Especially those released in the 90's. Certainly hope this doesn't delay the next, Jack Ryan film.

Damn, 66 is practically the new 46. That's too young, in my book

The most of the Tom Clancy games that i played are the ones on pre-smartphone cellphone games (mostly Rainbow Six) and they were fantastic. RIP

This makes me sad. His contribution to bringing realism to first person shooters will always be remembered.

:(

On the one hand, he's a lot younger than I thought and that's sad. On the other hand, that means he made his bank and got to enjoy it while he was relatively young. I will now forever picture T-Clance living like some bizarre gangsta-rapper / author hybrid, banging away on a solid gold typewriter and pouring Krystal all over hot librarian bosoms.

My condolences to his family.

NOT THE CLANCE! I'm gonna miss him.