This year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live ceremony just came to an end, and the livestreamed showcase had no shortage of highly anticipated announcements and trailers. From a closer look at the upcoming Witcher 3 DLC and the announcement of two PUBG spin-offs, to new glimpses of Control: Resonant, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, ONL seemed to have something for everyone. There was even a live performance of a track from the Mewgenics soundtrack.
But between demands for a new Path of Exile 2 trailer (which finally materialized 90 minutes into the showcase) and random declarations of “GTA 6!!!,” one message kept popping up in the showcase’s live Twitch chat: #RIPDOLLY.
Just moments into the live broadcast, country singer and pop culture icon Dolly Parton’s death was announced via an Instagram post shared by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver.
Parton passed away at 80, after decades of smash country hits and admirable charitable giving. Aside from appearing in several casino games, Parton had very little to do with gaming, her biggest contributions being her 2020 collaboration with Word With Friends and the inclusion of her songs “9 to 5” and “Odd Jobs” in 2009’s Pop’n Music for the Nintendo Wii. (Though she did appear in her own pinball machine in 1979.)
But despite her lack of deep connections to the world of gaming, homages to Parton continued to flood the chat even as Gamescom’s opening showcase entered its second hour. And in his announcement of her death, Parton’s nephew Bryan Seaver explained things perfectly.
“My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you,” he said. “She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever. Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, [while] she farmed songs and happiness.”
Perhaps that’s the essence of it. Parton connected with everyone–not just country music lovers or fans of her many films. Like games themselves, Parton was a fond part of many of our childhoods. Her charisma was so strong that her memory managed to steal the show at a gaming showcase held half a world away from her home in Tennessee, where her family says she passed peacefully.
Image credit: Getty Images / Ian Gavan