Hiroshi Ono was one of Namco’s original pixel artists, known for working on arcade games ranging from Xevious to Galaga, Dig Dug, and beyond.
Ono had been dealing with autoimmune hepatitis and had previously been hospitalized for the chronic liver disease, which causes inflammation and liver damage.
The man who would come to be known as “The God of Pixel Art” and “Mr. Dotman” got his start at Namco as a graphic designer in 1979.