Creator of beloved visual novel Coffee Talk dies aged 32
Mohammad Fahmi, the Indonesian creator and developer of Coffee Talk and What Comes After, has died aged 32. The news was announced today, March 28, the Fahmi’s Twitter account in an article written in Indonesian by his sister, which IGN Japan corroborated with Toge Productions, the publisher of Coffee Talk. No cause of death has been announced.
A spokesperson for Toge Productions said, “We are absolutely devastated by the news. We miss him a lot already and we hope he rests in peace wherever he is.
Mohammad Fahmi. (Image credit: Toge)
Fahmi was born on January 29, 1990 and was a highly regarded developer on the global indie game scene, as much for his beautifully crafted games as his warm personality. In addition to creating his own games, Fahmi has worked on programming and game design for various other games, as well as marketing and PR, giving talks at gaming events as a scene representative. Indonesian game and writing news on his website.
Members of the gaming community around the world have been paying tribute to Fahmi since the news broke:
Today we received the most devastating news. Our beloved Fahmi, the author of Coffee Talk and a beloved friend of Toge Productions has passed away. We are absolutely devastated by his untimely departure.
Thanks Fami.
Rest in peace.— Toge Productions 🌱 (@togeproductions) March 28, 2022
I can’t believe Fahmi is gone. He helped me when we were journalists together, we moved into video games around the same time, and he was a constant source of support and inspiration. I can’t say how much I will miss him. The world is a worse place now.
— Iain Garner (@NeonIain) March 28, 2022
Shit. Fahmi’s passing is a huge loss not only to his beloved family and friends, but also to the Southeast Asian indie game scene. I hope he knew the incredible impact he had on people just because he was authentic himself. I’m sorry but I don’t know how to deal with this
— Anisa Sanusi (@studioanisa) March 28, 2022
Inna lillahy wa inna illahi rajiun – to Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return.
Fahmi had a wonderful soul, and his kindness and boundless enthusiasm will be missed both personally and in the community and industry at large. https://t.co/dXOc5ZfQJD
— Rami Ismail (رامي) (@tha_rami) March 28, 2022
This is such tragic news. RIP Fahmi. https://t.co/z3AK4VAhna
— 🇺🇦 Chris 🇺🇦 Charla 🇺🇦 (@iocat) March 28, 2022
Coffee Talk was a smash hit that showcased Fahmi’s talents for writing witty and touching dialogue, as well as a keen eye for pixel art design and engaging game mechanics. IGN Japan wrote in his review of Coffee Talk:
“Coffee Talk succeeds in portraying daily life in modern Indonesia, reflected in the diversity of its people. The game has a soothing atmosphere that will make you want to play to your heart’s content with a cup of coffee. The story doesn’t offer much in the way of drama, but the message its creator conveys at the end is piercing and beautiful.
At the time of his death, Fahmi was working on his next game, Afterlove EP, which Fahmi’s website described as “a slice-of-life adventure about love, loss and music”. A sequel to Coffee Talk had also been announced. It is unclear what will become of the two projects.
Fahmi’s untimely death ends a promising career, robbing gaming fans everywhere of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that were sure to come. The editorial teams at IGN offices around the world send their condolences to Fahmi’s family, colleagues at Toge Productions, and fans of his games.
Daniel Robson is the editor of IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter here.
