You may not know the name Tohru Okada, but if you’ve ever owned a PlayStation console, you’ll be familiar with one of his most iconic creations: The sound that plays every time the PS logo appears. According to Japanese-language sources (via GameSpot), Okada has passed away on the 14th due to heart failure. He was 73 years old. Okada was reportedly hospitalized early last year due to a compression fracture and was undergoing rehabilitation in hopes of performing at a music festival in April.
In addition to the PlayStation logo sound, Okada also composed the music for a series of Crash Bandicoot advertisements that aired in the ’90s, as well as for some anime titles like Mobile Suit SD Gundam. For long-time fans of Japanese rock, though, he was more than just a game and anime composer. He was the keyboardist for a rock band called Moonriders, where he played with Keiichi Suzuki, who made music for Nintendo’s Mother series that’s also known as EarthBound outside Japan.
While the PS “bing” sound is short and unobtrusive, Sony has been using it for over 25 years. You can watch the video below to hear what it sounded like for various PS ads and loading screens from the very first PlayStation.