Alec Holowka Explained

Alec Holowka
Birth Date:1983 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Death Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Death Cause:Suicide
Occupation:Game programmer, designer, musician
Notable Works:Night in the Woods
Aquaria

Alec Holowka (30 October 1983 – 31 August 2019)[1] was a Canadian indie game developer and co-founder of independent game companies Infinite Ammo, Infinite Fall, and Bit Blot.[2] He was mainly known for the award-winning titles Night in the Woods and Aquaria.

Life and career

Holowka was introduced to programming at the age of eight when his father bought him the book Basic Fun. Eventually he began working with a freeware group called Zaphire Productions. He then worked for a number of failed startups, including one in Winnipeg, working on a PC multiplayer fantasy action title and a combat racer in Vancouver for the Xbox 360.[3]

Holowka acted as sound engineer on the 2006 freeware title I'm O.K – A Murder Simulator as a response to American lawyer Jack Thompson's "A Modest Video Game Proposal". Holowka met Derek Yu in the comments section of popular technology website Slashdot in a post regarding Jack Thompson's proposal and along with Chris Hanson and Phil Jones formed the group "Thompsonsoft" for the one-off release.[4]

After its release Holowka introduced Yu to a project he had been working on independently, Yu was interested in the project and the two officially formed developer Bit Blot the week before the Independent Games Festival deadline. The project was released on 7 December 2007 under the title Aquaria,[5] and was the recipient of the Independent Games Festival Seumas McNally Grand Prize for 2007.[6]

In 2013, Holowka and independent animator Scott Benson successfully crowdfunded the game Night in the Woods.[7] The game was released in 2017 to critical acclaim and won the BAFTA in "Narrative" and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the IGF.[8] [9]

In August 2019, Holowka was accused of physical and emotional abuse by Zoë Quinn, whom he had briefly cohabited with in Winnipeg in 2012.[10] [11] The day following the accusation, the Night in the Woods development team cut ties with Holowka, with Scott Benson writing "We take such allegations seriously as a team". The team stated that other corroborating evidence related to the accusations had been presented to them.[11] The publisher of Night in the Woods, Finji, backed the team's decision, and also postponed plans to publish physical copies of the game in wake of the allegations.[12] [13]

Four days after allegations of abuse were leveled against him, Holowka died by suicide.[14] [15] [16] [17] According to his sister, who posted to Twitter about his death, Holowka had been "battling mood and personality disorders" through his life and "was a victim of abuse". She explained he had been trying to correct his own disorders in recent years through therapy and medication. She also stated that Holowka "said he wished the best for Zoë and everyone else".[18] [19]

Games

DateTitleRoleNotes
scope=row 2006Audio[20]
scope=row 2007Designer, audio, programmerWinner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 2007 Independent Games Festival[21]
scope=row 2008Audio, programmer[22]
scope=row 2008Co-creator
scope=row 2008Musician[23]
scope=row 2009MusicianWinner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 2008 Independent Games Festival[24] [25]
scope=row 2012Musician[26]
scope=row 2013Musician[27]
scope=row 2017Designer, programmer, musicianWinner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, etc. at the 2018 Independent Games Festival[28] [29]
scope=row 2018Co-creatorAbandoned[30] [31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Alec Holowka . November 20, 2013 . Alec Holowka - Indie House / Night In The Woods [October 2013] ]. November 8, 2019 . 0:39 . And I'm about to turn 30 tomorrow [...] on October 30th. . FullIndie . YouTube.
  2. Web site: Bitblot - company . Bit Blot . 2008-11-18 . 9 January 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109164450/http://www.bit-blot.com/?page_id=60 . live .
  3. Web site: Road To The IGF: Bit Blot's Aquaria . Wallis . Alistair . 23 October 2006 . Gamasutra . 2008-11-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081221185310/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11362 . 21 December 2008 . live.
  4. Web site: 4cr Interview - Thompsonsoft . Tucker . Michael . 16 February 2006 . 4 Color Rebellion . 2008-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081105021416/http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archives/2006/02/16/4cr-interview-thompsonsoft/ . 5 November 2008.
  5. Web site: Aquaria - IGN . . 2 September 2019 . 2 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190902031908/https://www.ign.com/games/aquaria . live .
  6. Web site: 2007 Independent Games Festival Winners . . 2019-09-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101027184711/http://igf.com/2007finalistswinners.html . 2010-10-27 . dead .
  7. News: Moore . D. M. . 2018-02-18 . Night in the Woods isn't about growing up, but becoming an adult . en-US . The Verge . 2023-06-18 . 2 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230602172416/https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/18/17008282/night-in-the-woods-playstation-4-xbox-one-switch-short-play . live .
  8. Web site: Narrative - Night in the Woods . www.bafta.org . en . 13 March 2018 . 9 July 2021 . 9 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185115/https://www.bafta.org/games/awards/narrative . live .
  9. News: Hudson . Laura . 2017-02-15 . Coming to Video Games Near You: Depressed Towns, Dead-End Characters . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-18 . 0362-4331 . 25 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221025231938/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/technology/personaltech/coming-to-video-games-near-you-depressed-towns-dead-end-characters.html . live .
  10. Web site: New allegations of sexual assault surface against established game devs . Kris . Graft . 28 August 2019 . 28 August 2019 . . 8 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508122958/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/349504/New_allegations_of_sexual_assault_surface_against_established_game_devs.php . live .
  11. Web site: Night in the Woods studio cuts ties with designer after abuse allegations . Nicole . Carpenter . 29 August 2019 . 29 August 2019 . . 29 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190829183423/https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/29/20835673/night-in-the-woods-alec-holowka-abuse-zoe-quinn . live .
  12. Web site: Night in the Woods devs cut ties with Alec Holowka after abuse allegations . McAloon . Alissa . . 28 August 2019 . 28 August 2019 . 28 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190828221311/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/349594/Night_in_the_Woods_devs_cut_ties_with_Alec_Holowka_after_abuse_allegations.php . live .
  13. Night In The Woods . NightInTheWoods . 1166779001320419329 . August 28, 2019 . We are cancelling a current project and postponing the Limited Run physical release. The iOS port is being handled by an outside company and supervised by Finji and will remain in development.. November 8, 2019.
  14. News: Orland . Kyle . Night in the Woods developer dies after assault accusations [Updated] ]. Ars Technica . 30 August 2019 . en-us . 19 July 2021 . 19 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210719042357/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/08/night-in-the-woods-devs-cut-ties-with-collaborator-accused-of-assault/ . live .
  15. News: 2021-07-19. Night in the Woods video game creator Alec Holowka dies. BBC News. 2 September 2019. 19 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210719043730/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-49555707. live.
  16. Web site: Night In The Woods Designer Alec Holowka Dies . Jason . Schreier . 1 September 2019 . 1 September 2019 . . 1 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190901154127/https://kotaku.com/night-in-the-woods-designer-alec-holowka-dies-1837783073 . live .
  17. Gaming's #MeToo Moment and the Tyranny of Male Fragility WIRED . September 6, 2019 . Laurie . Penny . Wired . November 13, 2019.
  18. Web site: Night in the Woods developer Alec Holowka has died . Andy . Woods . 31 August 2019 . 31 August 2019 . . 27 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220327044056/https://www.pcgamer.com/night-in-the-woods-developer-alec-holowka-has-died/ . live .
  19. News: Night in the Woods Developer Accused of Sexual Assault Dies . 31 August 2019 . IGN Nordic . 31 August 2019 . 31 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831191909/https://nordic.ign.com/night-in-the-woods/28817/news/night-in-the-woods-developer-accused-of-sexual-assault-dies . live .
  20. Web site: I'm O.K.: A Murder Simulator . Chris . Remo . 7 February 2006 . 31 August 2019 . . 1 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190901020212/https://www.shacknews.com/article/40692/im-ok-a-murder-simulator . live .
  21. Web site: 2007 Independent Games Festival Winners . IGF . 2008-11-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081216014130/http://www.igf.com/2007finalistswinners.html . 16 December 2008 . dead.
  22. Web site: TIG Forum Post . 18 November 2008 . TIG . 2008-11-18 . 19 September 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919115109/http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=1394.0 . live .
  23. Web site: Everyone Loves Active 2 Profile . 31 May 2008 . Kyle Pulver . 2008-11-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081220211023/http://www.kylepulver.com/view.php?id=39 . 20 December 2008 . live.
  24. Web site: Indulge your inner child with 'Crayon Physics' . Winda . Benedetti . 13 January 2009 . 31 August 2019 . . 6 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190906042702/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28628780/ns/technology_and_science-games/t/indulge-your-inner-child-crayon-physics/ . dead .
  25. Web site: Day 2: Music of Crayon Physics Deluxe . 2 January 2009 . 31 August 2019 . Kloonigames . 1 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190901015720/https://www.kloonigames.com/blog/crayonphysics/day-2-music-of-crayon-physics-deluxe . live .
  26. Web site: Behold the unrelenting cuteness of 'Offspring Fling!' . Jordan . Mallory . 31 March 2012 . 31 August 2019 . Engadget.
  27. Web site: What It Feels Like To Launch An Indie Hit . Chris . Plante . 2 July 2014 . 31 August 2019 . . 25 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190525182147/https://www.polygon.com/features/2014/7/2/5858032/towerfall-matt-thorson . live .
  28. Web site: Complete list of 2018 Independent Games Festival Awards Winners . Whitney . Kayla . 22 March 2018 . . 22 March 2018 . 1 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180701083156/https://www.axs.com/complete-list-of-2018-independent-games-festival-awards-winners-129025 . live .
  29. News: 'Night in the Woods' is great, and a lesson for all game creators in how to develop characters . Christopher . Byrd . 2 March 2017 . 31 August 2019 . . 1 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190901021134/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/03/02/night-in-the-woods-is-great-and-a-lesson-for-all-game-creators-in-how-to-develop-characters/ . live .
  30. Web site: Oceanheart Is Like Wind Waker Crossed With Animal Crossing . Mark . Serrels . 2 June 2016 . 31 August 2019 . . 1 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190901022054/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/06/oceanheart-is-like-wind-waker-crossed-with-animal-crossing/ . live .
  31. InfiniteAmmoDev . 1072894721180295168 . December 12, 2018 . Yeah! #Oceanheart with the amazing @bitmOO! We kinda gave up on it for now tho. It had a few Unity prototypes and one Unreal prototype. . November 8, 2019 .

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