iNcontroL, famed StarCraft player and caster, dies at age 33

StarCraft player and caster Geoffrey John Vincent “iNcontroL” Robinson died on July 21. He was 33 years old.

The news was delivered through a statement on iNcontroL’s Twitter account.

“With immense grief, we announce Geoff’s unexpected passing due to sudden illness Saturday. We ask privacy as his family works to understand what happened and make arrangements,” the statement said. “Geoff is deeply loved across many communities and we’re all working to make sure his affairs are in order as he’d want….Let’s live today in his example of love and laughter.”

A cause of death is unclear. He was streaming on Twitch as recently as July 19, just two days prior to his death.

iNcontroL began his career as a StarCraft: Brood War player, joining Evil Geniuses’ inaugural StarCraft roster in 2009 and staying with the organization until the disbandment of the team in 2017. His profile grew following the release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty in 2010. He was a steady presence at early Major League Gaming events in the title and was regarded by many as one of North America’s top talents. While still actively competing in the game, iNcontroL also served as a commentator and analyst before transitioning into a broadcasting role full-time.

The news of his death was met with sadness from a slew of esports personalities, both in and out of StarCraft.

Veterans of the game such as Chris “HuK” Loranger and Sean “Day[9]” Plott shared stories of their time with iNcontroL while others reflected on his importance in the game’s rise and how he helped hook them into esports as fans. Prominent figures from outside StarCraft including fighting game legend Justin Wong, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, and 100 Thieves executive Jacob “Maelk” Toft-Anderson also expressed sadness over his passing.

Those wishing to honor iNcontroL’s memory were encouraged to SoCal Bulldog Rescue, which helps rescue and find homes for English bulldogs.