Ubisoft game designer Emile Morel, who was recently named creative director of Beyond Good and Evil 2, has died at the age of 40. [Ubisoft Montpellier said in a statement posted on LinkedIn, "We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, Emile Morel. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and teammates around the world."

"We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge his tremendous influence over the years on the various games that make up our studio's rich history. For us, Emile was a close friend and a source of boundless positive energy. We all cherished his passion and storytelling style. We will never forget Emile and his immeasurable contribution to the world of BGE2 will last forever."

Morel's death was initially reported by colleagues in the gaming industry, who paid tribute to him on their LinkedIn accounts (via IGN). Greg Hermittant, producer at Ubisoft Montpellier, wrote: "Rest in peace, dear Emile Morel. You have been such a wonderful and kind partner during these years at Ubisoft. I am grateful to have worked with you on so many projects. Even during the most difficult times, you always remained a caring, supportive person with a beautiful, positive spirit."

"A valued colleague for over 10 years at Ubisoft Montpellier, we laughed and cried through good times and bad, and shipped many great games together," wrote former "Beyond Good and Evil 2" scenario director M. Gabreil Schrager. Emil was very proud of "Beyond Good and Evil 2," Space Monkeys, and his teammates. He will be sorely missed."

Morel joined Ubisoft in 2009 and worked on games such as The Adventures of Tintin and Rayman Legends before moving on to Beyond Good and Evil 2. Prior to that, he spent nearly four years at Eden Games, where he worked in design on "Alone in the Dark" and "Test Drive Unlimited 2."

In February, Kotaku reported that Morell had been promoted to creative director for Beyond Good and Evil 2. He previously served as associate creative director.

"Rest assured we will continue your work," Hermitant wrote.

No cause of death has been announced.