Interplay co-founder and LGBTQ+ icon Rebecca Heineman dies from cancer

Legendary decorator and programmer was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma earlier this year

Interplay co-founder and seasoned crippled decorator Rebecca Heineman has died astatine the property of 62 pursuing a crab diagnosis earlier this year. The quality has been shared connected societal media by galore friends and erstwhile colleagues of Heineman, including Heidi McDonald and Brian Fargo, portion the latest station to a GoFundMe the developer acceptable up to rise funds for attraction says that page's funds volition present spell towards Heineman's household making ceremonial arrangements.

"It’s time," reads the latest update to the developer's GoFundMe page. "According to my doctors. All further treatments are pointless. So, delight donate truthful my kids tin make a ceremonial worthy of my keyboard, Pixelbreaker! So I tin marque a worthy entranceway for reuniting with my 1 existent love, Jennell Jaquays. My girl Cynthia Elizabeth Heineman, volition beryllium making the arrangements."

Heineman has besides posted a "last toast" connection to BlueSky and Instagram, which references her woman Jennell Jaquays, who died successful January 2024 of complications caused by Guillain–Barré syndrome: "Valhalla truly really reeked of beer, but Jennell seems happy. The different angels are bushed of maine saying "fight for the different users" portion throwing my halo around. I permission it up to you to spell to lindken.com and look up Jennell Jaquays, present look astatine her occupation description, goddess of technology...and fuck cancer, fuck it successful the ass."

Heineman won the Space Invaders US nationalist title successful 1980, earlier going connected to co-found Interplay successful 1983, alongside chap developers Brian Fargo, Jay Patel and Troy Worrell. That workplace developed and/or published the opening works successful respective foundational bid successful PC gaming with the archetypal 2 Fallouts and Baldur's Gates, alongside an array of different classical games. While astatine Interplay, Heineman designed and programmed games specified arsenic The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate and Dragon Wars, earlier going connected to recovered oregon co-found Logicware, Contraband Entertainment, and Olde Sküül.

A transgender woman, Heineman received a Gayming Icon grant from Gayming Magazine successful 2025, with the tract writing: "Her advocacy for LGBTQ+ inclusion, accessibility, and diverseness successful tech has inspired countless developers and players."

"Known her since the 80s erstwhile I'd thrust her to work, 1 of the astir superb programmers around," chap Interplay co-founder Fargo wrote successful a tribute post. "A existent gut punch earlier contiguous erstwhile she messaged me: 'We person gone connected truthful galore adventures together! But, into the large unknown! I spell first!!!'."

Thanks to Heineman for each of her contributions to the mean and each the champion to those she leaves behind.