RIP Rebecca Heineman

Rebecca Heineman passed away on November 17, 2025. Lets remenber her and honor all the accomplishments she brought to the video game industry

Rebecca is an American video game designer and programmer. Heineman was a founder or co-founder of video game companies Interplay Productions, Logicware, Contraband Entertainment, and Olde Sküül. She was the chief executive officer of Olde Sküül since 2013. 

Heineman rose to fame when she won a national Space Invaders tournament in 1980 aged 16, then carved out an impressive gamedev career, having taught herself to code by reverse engineering. Her development and publishing credits include Wasteland, Fallout, Baldur's Gate, and The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate. She most recently served as CEO of Olde Sküül.

Bard’s Tale 3 stands out as one of her defining moments at Interplay and of her entire career, Heineman told Women in Gaming: 100 Professionals of Play in 2024. "Being able to head the project and be the decision maker was what started me on the path to being a studio head,” she said. Heineman left Interplay in 1995, seeking a return to small teams.

She was honored as the 2025 Gayming Icon Award for "her advocacy for LGBTQ+ inclusion, accessibility, and diversity in tech has inspired countless developers and players.

Interplay co-founder Brian Fargo called her "one of the most brilliant programmers around," and said news of her death was "a real gut punch." "Rebecca Heineman sadly passed away. Known her since the 80s when I'd drive her to work, one of the most brilliant programmers around. A real gut punch earlier today when she messaged me: 'We have gone on so many adventures together! But, into the great unknown! I go first!!!'"