Mike Berlyn, Creator of Bubsy, Passes Away the Age of 73
Image Source: Time Extension
Video game designer Mike Berlyn, most famous for creating the video game mascot character Bubsy, passed away at the age of 73. Berlyn was diagnosed with cancer in September 2014 and was undergoing chemotherapy treatments until at least 2015. The news of his passing was shared on the Twitter account of Digital Eclipse president Mike Mika.
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Berlyn, born in 1949, began his career in the video game industry in 1981 with the game Oo-Topos. Over the years, Berlyn worked at various studios including Sentient Software, Infocom, Accolade, Electronic Arts, Activision, and 989 Studios, among others. Though credited with creating Bubsy the Bobcat, he only worked on two titles in the franchise: the original 1993 Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind and the bobcat’s attempted jump to 3D, Bubsy 3D (1996). He also helped co-found two studios: Brainwave Creations and Berlyn & Co (later renamed Bend Studios). Brainwave Creations is known for Tass Times in Tone Town, which was created alongside Interplay's Rebecca Heineman and Berlyn’s wife, Muffy McClung Berlyn. Bend Studios is known for the PlayStation series Syphon Filter and the more recently released Days Gone.
In addition to his work in game design, Berlyn had a short stint as a novelist. He published The Integrated Man and Crystal Phoenix in the 1980’s, and he published his last title, The Eternal Enemy, in the 1990s. He had a “light jazz” band called Hot Mustard as well, and it consisted entirely of his own music and performances. Mike Berlyn is survived by his wife, Muffy Berlyn.
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Sources: Game Developer, Wikipedia
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