Founding Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died, his family reports.
The extremely influential metal singer and reality TV star was 76, and had recently performed at a benefit concert with Black Sabbath’s original members. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
Osbourne’s most direct connection to gaming is his appearance in Double Fine’s 2009 adventure game Brütal Legend, in which he plays a version of himself named The Guardian of Metal.
“:( RIP OZZY,” said Double Fine founder Tim Schafer in a social media post today. (See a clip of Osbourne’s appearance in Brütal Legend below.)
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Although he wasn’t as directly involved in videogames as some celebrities (though he did also appear in a WoW ad), Osbourne’s influence on popular culture can’t be overstated.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is considered a founder of heavy metal music, and his influence can be seen in the occult themes found in so much fantasy art from the ’70s to today.
“So much of Doom’s soul is down to heavy metal, and without Ozzy and Sabbath, I am not sure it would have been the same,” said id Software co-founder John Romero today.
Like D&D and numerous videogames, Osbourne (also known as the “Prince of Darkness”) was accused of glorifying Satanism. By the early 2000s, however, he had a different, funnier form of censorship to contend with: his near-constant profanity on hit reality show The Osbournes being bleeped for TV.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” reads a statement from Osbourne’s family. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Since the news broke, games industry figures have been posting their condolences and describing the impact of Osbourne’s music on their own work.
So much of DOOM’s soul is down to heavy metal, and without Ozzy and Sabbath, I am not sure it would have been the same. Certainly, I would not have been the same. Metal gave a voice to a whole generation of kids that didn’t fit in for one reason or another. It still does. RIP… pic.twitter.com/vjCXWJoVibJuly 22, 2025
Sad to lose Ozzy Osbourne, who was an important outlet for me in my teenage years, and a decade later, paradoxically kept me calm during my lengthy morning commute.
— @thatdave.bsky.social (@thatdave.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-22T20:30:09.095Z
Damn… RIP Prince of Darkness, Cryptid seeker, Father, genre defining vocalist… Star of Game Boy’s Little Nicky game. 🙁
— @mikejmika.bsky.social (@mikejmika.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-22T20:30:09.113Z