Manfred Lorenz

"The player is dead."

- Manfred Lorenz

Manfred Lorenz is the creator of Catastrophe Crow. He is "a veteran German game designer, avid sailor, notorious perfectionist, and founder of Opus Interactive".

Before Catastrophe Crow
Manfred was most known for founding Opus Interactive. He was the recipient of two Golden Joystick awards and an AIAS Hall of Fame Award. He created the game Ocean Quest, which became surprisingly popular for the SNES.

Catastrophe Crow
Manfred was inspired to create the game after a drawing made by his daughter Thea. He started production in 1996 and set it to release on Christmas in 1999. However, the game was delayed as he took more control over the programming and ordered the artists to make strange assets. His staff claimed that his home life had fallen apart and he had not seen his family for months. By 2001, Opus Interactive spent nearly $10,000,000 on the project and Manfred laid off all his staff. He took full control over the project, but the game was never released.

Disappearance
Near the end of 2001, Manfred, along with all the development hardware in Opus Interactive, disappeared. His car and sailing boat at his home was also gone. Two days later, his boat was found a few miles from the coast of Cuxhaven. Only a neat pile of clothes and a note addressed to his wife was found, with no sign of him or the stolen equipment.

The note is in German. Translated to English, it reads: "Marta, You were always in the right — and remain it till the last day. It's impossible to look into people's heads to decode their behavior; to find out why we are so cruel to one another. We both did what we thought was right — and yet, we could accuse one another of insanity. You have only taken away from me — and I from you. So the world can remain open, my path is set in place. I have — finally — gone home. -M"

- Manfred's letter

Possible Reappearance
An email was found connected to videos about Catastrophe Crow. When contacted, the sender signed their emails with "M L", the same initials of Manfred Lorenz. This suggests that he is still alive and aware of Catastrophe Crow. His email is no longer active.

Character Symbolism
Father Crow is widely believed to represent Manfred. They both wear glasses and is the only worker in a "work building". A changing family portrait also shows a father replaced with Father Crow. A cutscene shows Father Crow jumping off a boat while carrying computer equipment, which parallels Manfred's presumed death at sea.