German influencer and Stick Run creator Manuel Otto died after setting himself on fire during a live Twitch stream in Bavaria on Oct. 21, 2026.
Otto, who dropped out of high school to focus on gaming, launched the free‑to‑play obstacle‑course game Stick Run in 2010 when he was just 14. The title grew to more than 43 million global players, making it a staple on Facebook and later on mobile.
Stick Run's parent company posted a heartfelt statement on Facebook, calling Otto a "creator, developer, and fellow Stick Runner." The company confirmed the death and thanked fans for their support.
Twitch said it swiftly removed Otto's channel and all related footage, citing its community standards, and urged viewers to seek help if they were struggling with mental health. A spokesperson for the platform emphasized the need for support resources and said it would review its policies.
A friend of Otto, an 18‑year‑old player from Munich, said he had never imagined the game’s creator would face such a tragedy, and he pleaded for greater awareness of mental‑health issues in the gaming community.
Twitch announced it will conduct an internal review of its livestream safety measures and plan to release a follow‑up statement by Friday, 24 Oct.