author: Bart Swiatek
The Co-creator of Night in the Woods Passes Away
Canadian developer Alec Holowka, co-creator of Night in the Woods, has passed away on Saturday. His death was most likely the result of a suicide. Last week, the developer was accused of physical and psychological violence and blocking the careers of several women with whom he had worked in the past.
Last week we wrote about the fact that the developer Alec Holowka - known mainly for his contribution to the successful Night in the Woods - was accused by the independent creator Zoë Quinn of physical and psychological violence against her and hindering her career development. Shortly afterwards, other people joined the accusations. As a result, Infinite Falls, studio affiliated with the man, broke off its collaboration and abandoned another project he was involved in. Unfortunately, we regret to report that this is not the end of the story. Sister of Alec Holowka reported on Twitter that he died tragically last Saturday (via Kotaku - the original source from Eileen Holowka's account is now visible only to selected persons).
"Alec Holowka, my brother and best friend, passed away this morning. Those who know me will know that I believe survivors and I have always done everything I can to support survivors, those suffering from mental illnesses, and those with chronic illnesses. Alec was a victim of abuse and he also spent a lifetime battling mood and personality disorders. I will not pretend that he was not also responsible for causing harm, but deep down he was a person who wanted only to offer people care and kindness. It took him a while to figure out how," wrote Holowka's sister on Twitter.
The tweets published by Eileen Holowka do not explicitly say suicide, but the context may suggest that the man took his own life. It is also known that in recent days the deceased has been seeking help in crisis centres in the Canadian province of Manitoba (his place of residence) that deal with this type of issue.
In response to the aggressive comments condemning Zoë Quinn, Alec Holowka's sister also added, without mincing her words, that he wished well both to the accusing woman and "to all other people". Out of respect for the family of the deceased, we ask you to exercise reasonable moderation when posting your comments on the forum.
Alec Holowka was 35 years old. In addition to Night in the Woods, he was also involved in several other independent games, such as Aquaria (in collaboration with Derek Yu) and I'm O.K - A Murder Simulator (in collaboration with Scott Benson and his wife Bethany Hockenberry, with whom he co-founded Infinite Falls).