I was utterly devastated this morning to learn that fellow freelance comrade and talented writer Matt Hughes took his own life last night. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones on this terrible day. Like many others in the relatively small, tight-knit game journalism community who’ve worked with Matt, I’m still in shock. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but over the past year or so Matt and I have exchanged many e-mails about our mutual love of writing and this exciting, challenging career path we’ve chosen.

Matt was a nice guy, and a cool dude. He was a skilled writer, a respected colleague, and someone I enjoyed chatting with online. Matt was one of the very first folks to rally behind my recent Kickstarter project. I appreciated his support and comraderie. I don’t know anything about the circumstances surrounding what happened, other than it was completely unexpected. Just last week, he helped me out with an online multiplayer session for a review I was working on. I’m completely floored.

This is a sad day indeed. If any freelancers or aspiring writers out there find themselves in a dark place or a tough spot, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line. My door is open. I’m always willing to offer help, encouragment, and advice whenever I can.

Matt, you will be missed. RIP.