Overview
- The veteran designer died following a recent cancer diagnosis reported as adenocarcinoma, with news shared by friends on BlueSky.
- Her GoFundMe farewell said further treatment was pointless and asked donors to help her children plan a funeral, naming her daughter Cynthia Elizabeth Heineman as organizer.
- She posted a final message on BlueSky and Instagram referencing a reunion with her late wife, industry figure Jennell Jaquays, who died in January 2024.
- Heineman co-founded Interplay in 1983 and worked on titles including The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate and Dragon Wars, later helping lead studios Logicware, Contraband Entertainment and Olde Sküül.
- A trailblazing competitor and advocate, she won the 1980 national Space Invaders championship and received Gayming Magazine's 2025 Gayming Icon award for LGBTQ+ inclusion and accessibility efforts.