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- Screenshot of Doom RPG courtesy of Electronic Arts and EA Mobile

Gaming Trailblazer Rebecca Heineman Faces Final Boss: Cancer

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By Mollie Dominy | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 11:59 AM ET

The legendary gaming industry figure Rebecca Heineman—the first U.S. video game champion, legendary programmer, and Interplay co-founder—is dealing with the final boss of all bosses. The 40-year games industry veteran recently started a GoFundMe to help with an aggressive cancer diagnosis, and true to the American health system, her private insurance is only partially covering the treatments.

Who Is Rebecca Heineman?

If you’re unsure about who Heineman is, let’s go back to her career, which extends all the way to the days of Space Invaders. She’s credited with at least 71 games, including The Bard’s Tale III, early ports of Doom, and Baldur’s Gate II.

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in 2025

Heineman began her treatment this year, 2025, after PAX West, and will be undergoing chemotherapy for the disease affecting her lungs and liver. And even though some of her treatments are covered by insurance, she’s having to pay out of pocket for out-of-network care. If you’ve had anyone close go through cancer treatment, you know how many specialists are involved—it’s never just one doctor.

“This is the key fight for my life. Please help me,” Heineman wrote on her GoFundMe page. “I want to keep creating games and comics, and I need your help to beat this cancer.”

The First U.S. Video Game Champion

It was all the way back in 1980 when she became the first U.S. champion to win a video game national championship at the Space Invaders tournament in New York. That kicked off her entrance into the industry as a professional, where she’s had a far-reaching career.

A Career That Shaped Gaming History

MobyGames lists 67 games with Heineman’s credit, though it’s missing at least four of the 43 games listed on her Wikipedia page. Another feather in her cap: alongside Brian Fargo, Jay Patel, Chris Wells, and Troy Worrell, Heineman co-founded Interplay—the mega studio behind Fallout, Baldur’s Gate, The Bard’s Tale, Wasteland, and more.

Her design credits at Interplay include Dragon Wars and The Bard’s Tale III, but much of her work has been in programming, especially ports.

The Infamous Doom 3DO Port

Image of Doom 64, courtesy of Bethesda Softworks.

Heineman’s work on the 3DO version of Doom has become famous in recent years—because it actually exists, despite the nightmare development cycle. She crunched for 10 weeks to make a working version for a very ambitious businessman who had bitten off more than he could chew.

“There’s no getting around it, Doom for the 3DO is terrible,” said Digital Foundry’s John Linneman in a 2017 video. “Doom is set to ship in time for Christmas, and the 3DO company is begging for help. Heineman accepts under the impression that much of the game was already done. But in reality, nothing was done.”

A Trailblazer in Gaming and Representation

Heineman is a gaming trailblazer. Even earlier this year, she was still racking up awards and accolades, including the Gayming Icon Award from Gayming Magazine. She’s an out and proud trans woman in the games industry—not just behind the scenes, but front and center, creating some of the most beloved games in video game history.