Catan creator Klaus Teuber has died
Teuber, the inventor of one of the most successful and influential board games of all time, died at age 70 after a brief illness.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The officialCatan websitehas announced that Klaus Teuber, who created the massively popular Settlers of Catan board game in 1995, has died at age 70 following “a brief and severe illness.”
Settlers of Catan, as it was originally known, challenges players to establish, develop, and expand settlements on the fictional island of Catan. It was first released in Germany in 1995, and has enjoyed massive, global success since then: The Catan website says the game is now available in more than 40 languages and has sold over40 million copiesworldwide.
That popularity resulted in numerous expansions and spinoffs including card games, a dice game, a version for children, and licensed editions based on Star Trek and Game of Thrones. It also spawned multiple videogames on pretty much every platform you can imagine (even the N_Gage) including the browser-basedCatan Universe, which we described as “a free opportunity to hate your friends” for hoarding grain (also available onSteam) and aVR versionfor Rift and Samsung Gear VR headsets.
Teuber is best known for Catan, but he also wonGame of the Yearawards in Germany for three other creations: Barbarossa in 1988, Adel Verpflichtet (Hoity Toity) in 1990, and Drunter und Drüber (Under and Over) in 1991. His accomplishments are even more impressive because designing games was just a hobby until 1999, when he retired from his regular job as a dental technician.
“While Klaus' contributions to the board gaming industry are immeasurable, we will remember him most as a kind and selfless human being, an inspirational leader, and most importantly, as friend,” Catan Studio said in a message shared on Twitter. “His legacy will continue to inspire and shape the gaming community for years to come.
“We encourage you to honor Klaus' memory by being kind to one another, pursuing your creative passions fearlessly, and enjoying a game with your loved ones. Klaus' impact on the world of gaming will never be forgotten.”
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill.Lotsof Henry Cavill.
Tomorrow is the last day of voting for the 42nd Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year and Best Game Adaptation
PC Gamer magazine’s new issue is on sale now: Path of Exile 2
The first PUBG spinoff with real promise is a top-down take on Rainbow Six Siege
