Stephen Gillmurphy

Stephen Gillmurphy, known professionally as thecatamites, is an Irish independent video game developer known for publishing short independent freeware games, including Space Funeral and Anthology of the Killer. His games are typified by the use of self-drawn, mixed-media graphics and offbeat, satirical tone. Described as publishing "weird outsider games," Gillmurphy has received positive reception from independent game outlets.

Career

Gillmurphy first started making games in 2008 using RPG Maker after exposure to the software in secondary school.

Gillmurphy has distributed his games on several websites, including under the names Games 4 Schools, Mystery Zone, and Harmony Zone, the latter of which he has used to publish commercial titles including 50 Short Games. He has also published critical essays on Tumblr under the handle My Friend Pokey.

In 2020, Gillmurphy began publishing the Anthology of the Killer comedic horror series on GameJolt under the name garmentdistrict.

Recognition

Gillmurphy's work has received praise for its unique method of composition and unusual tone. Game Jolt praised Gillmurphy as possessing "one of the most exciting and original bodies of work in gaming," describing his games as "funny, surreal, boundary-pushing, and full of wonder over the possibilities of videogames and the worlds they can create." Writing for Game Developer, Mike Rose stated that he "isn't like other developers," noting "the underlying mechanics of play will often force you into the sort of silly and sometimes uncomfortable territory that video games simply don't explore."

Personal life

Gillmurphy was born in Inchicore, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, and studied as a mathematics student. In 2012, Gillmurphy briefly worked in a full-time role as an insurance broker in Dublin. He is noted as being reticent to discuss his personal life on the Internet, preferring to "stay in the shadows."