Rebecca Ann Heineman
From DoomWiki.org
Rebecca Ann Heineman, also known as Burger Becky (October 30, 1963 – November 17, 2025),[1] was a video game programmer, tournament champion, author, and webcomic artist known for programming work on Doom for the 3DO. She was a founder of Interplay Productions, Logicware, and Contraband Entertainment. During her lifetime, she was the CEO of Olde Sküül and was also the significant other of well-known former id Software developer Jennell Jaquays, who also worked at Olde Sküül as CCO prior to her death in January 2024.
Rebecca released the source code for the 3DO port of Doom on November 30, 2014.
Rebecca is also responsible for the PC and Macintosh version of an FPS game originally developed by Studio 3DO, Killing Time, using the Atari Jaguar version of the Doom engine as a base.
Contents
Illness and death
Heineman was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma,[2] a type of cancerous tumor that was found in her lungs. As a result of this, she soon would set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the medical bills that would be used to treat this illness.
Treatment would start in October 2025, but in November of the same year, she would die from this illness.
Scott Miller, fellow video game programmer and founder of Apogee Software (later became 3D Realms), wrote on Twitter[3] that "A game industry legend died [...] My local friends would often have dinner with her and I loved her industry stories and humor. She will be missed." Brian Fargo, founder of Interplay Entertainment, inXile Entertainment and Robot Cache, had much the same senterment, writing[4] that "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!!!' :(".
Co-founder of New Blood Interactive, Dave Oshry made a post[5] that linked to the GoFundMe, simply adding "Fuck cancer."
Trivia
- Her nickname originated from a habit of storing hamburgers in her desk.
- Rebecca herself was a trans woman, and as such, during the development of 3DO Doom and the Windows/Macintosh version of Killing Time, she had not publicly come out, meaning that for the credits of the game, and for much of her early work, she is credited under her former name (Bill Heineman).
Sources
- This article incorporates text from the open-content Wikipedia online encyclopedia article Rebecca Heineman.
References
- ↑ Litchfield, Ted (17 November 2025). "Legendary game designer, programmer, Space Invaders champion, and LGBTQ trailblazer Rebecca Heineman has died." PC Gamer. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Heineman, Rebecca (4 October 2025). "Help Rebecca Ann Heineman Fight Aggressive Cancer." GoFundMe. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Miller, Scott (17 November 2025). "A game industry legend died a few mins ago, Rebecca Heineman (@burgerbecky), taken away by aggressive lung cancer. She oversaw the porting of Wizordum to the Mac OS most recently for Apogee. My local friends would often have dinner with her and I loved her industry stories and humor. She will be missed." Twitter. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Fargo, Brian (17 November 2025). "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!!!" :(." Twitter. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Oshry, Dave (17 November 2025). "Here's the @burgerbecky GoFundMe for her ongoing medical and funeral costs: [URL] Fuck cancer." Twitter. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
