Manuel Otto, Stick Run creator who built game at 14 and reached 43 million players, dies by setting himself on fire; Twitch issues statement

Manuel Otto, German video game designer and influencer, apparently died by suicide at the age of 30 while he was livestreaming on Twitch, according to the streaming platform and his colleagues. Manuel Otto gained popularity for creating the popular multiplayer game Stick Run when he was just 14. He is believed to have taken his own life while broadcasting live to followers on the streaming platform Twitch on Tuesday evening, The New York Post reported citing local media reports.

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Otto was a 14-year-old high school student when he created his most famous game, “Stick Run.” Otto created Stick Run as a free-to-play game on Facebook in 2010, and it has reportedly been played by more than 43 million people worldwide both on desktops and cell phones, according to Dexerto. Otto launched his signature game, in which players control a stick figure running through obstacle courses.

Manuel Otto sets himself on fire

Manuel Otto's body was found following a fire at a property in Bavaria, southeast Germany. It was found after a neighbor noticed the blaze and tried to extinguish it, according to local outlet PNP. His body was found Tuesday after authorities responded to reports of a blaze in an attic room on a property in the Bavarian village of Breitbrunn am Chiemsee.

“Stick Run is aware of a livestream on Twitch involving its creator and owner, Manuel Otto, in which he appeared to have taken his own life. We understand that Twitch has since removed the livestream and associated video,” Stick Run said in an X post on Monday. “We encourage the community to refrain from spreading unverified information or speculation,” the statement continued.

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“If you have any information that may help clarify the circumstances surrounding this incident, please reach out to us or contact your local law enforcement agency,” it went on.

“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm and announce the passing of our creator, developer, and fellow Stick Runner, Marc-Manuel Alexander Otto,” Stick Run’s official X page said in a follow-up statement on Tuesday.

Twitch issues statement on Manuel Otto's death

A spokesperson for Twitch told The Post that the streaming platform quickly removed Manuel’s channel and any video of his death.

“What took place is horrible, and the mental health and wellbeing of our community matters deeply to us,” the spokesperson said. “We encourage anyone who may be struggling to seek support, and we offer tools on Twitch to help people connect with local mental health resources in their area,” they added.

“We moved quickly to remove the channel and Video on Demand to prevent it from being viewed by others,” the spokesperson said.