‘Hell Let Loose’ producer James Light dies aged 28

James Light, the producer of Hell Let Loose, has died aged 28 from complications following cardiac surgery, it has been confirmed.

Taking to Reddit, a Hell Let Loose community manager shared a statement written by Black Matter CEO Max Rea.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved colleague James Light. James passed away on the 18th of June at the age of 28 as a result of complications following cardiac surgery,” starts the post. “His passing was a surprise, and has devastated all who knew him.”

It goes on to say that Light began his career in video games in 2018, working in the Team17 QA department on Hell Let Loose. “Over the course of the last four years, his incredible work ethic, humility and enduring kindness made him a delight to have as a colleague. He is certainly one of the key reasons Hell Let Loose has reached where it is today.”

“Despite being extremely effective, he was always the first to champion the efforts of others and bring praise to the team as a whole. His achievements – though quiet – saw him develop into the role of production assistant, and then several months ago receive his final promotion to the position of producer – formalising his role in overseeing the entire PC development side of Hell Let Loose.”

“He had more knowledge of the game than perhaps anyone else – certainly more than me – having reported and studied thousands of bugs – knowing every intricacy and nuance across every aspect of the game,” Rea added.

“As a team, we have thought long and hard as to whether we would share his passing with the community and felt ultimately – with permission of his family – that it is what he would have wanted.”

“For as much as (this Reddit thread) is an in memoriam, it is also a celebration of our colleague and friend, who made an indelible impression on the game that many have spent hundreds or even thousands of hours enjoying. More importantly, he made that same impression on us. We will miss him immensely.”

On Twitter and Reddit, fans and colleagues have been paying their respects, while James Light’s girlfriend has also suggested people donate to the British Heart Foundation in his memory.