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Robert Alan Koeneke, creator of The Dungeons of Moria, has passed away

Developer only released one game, but his work went on to inspire other titles such as Diablo

Rober Alan Koeneke, the developer behind rougelike title the Dungeons of Moria, has passed away aged 64.

As reported by PC Gamer, Koeneke's death was announced via his obituary at dignitymemorial.com.

He released Moria, which was inspired by the Lord of the Rings, in 1983 while attending the University of Oklahoma.

The game went on to be updated over the years and he eventually made it an open source project for the public.

"I am very happy to learn my creation keeps on going...I plan to download it and Angband and play them... " Koeneke said in a 1996 statement.

"Maybe something has been added that will surprise me! That would be nice I never got to play Moria and be surprised."

Moria was the only title that Koeneke developed but it went on to inspire other titles such as Diablo.

The series' co-creator David Brevik credits Moria along with Rogue, Nethack, and Angband as his biggest influences.

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Jeffrey Rousseau: Jeffrey Rousseau joined GamesIndustry.biz in March 2021. Based in Florida, his work focused on the intersectionality of games and media. He enjoys reading, podcasts, staying informed, and learning how people are tackling issues.
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