DarkwebSTREAMER
darkwebSTREAMER is an in-development video game by South Australian game studio We Have Always Lived In The Forest, led by game designer and anthropologist Chantal Ryan.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Description
[edit]The game is a psychological horror RPG simulation game inspired by online streaming culture, para-social relationships and the grind of content creation, and simultaneously explores the aesthetics and culture of the 1990s and 2000s internet.[4][5] It explores themes of how far a streamer might willing to go to gain wealth, power, or fame at the expense of one's own well-being[4] and calls itself a 'narrative roguelite'[7] due to almost every aspect of the game, including the story, characters and mechanics, being randomly generated every time you play whilst also featuring permadeath.[8]
The game features the world's first procedurally generated internet.[4] Emily Spindler of Kotaku described the game as 'a commentary on all the internet has been, is, and will be'.
The game has also been noted for its complex ARG, which kicked off via its trailer launched at PC Gamer's PC Gaming Show's "Most Wanted Showcase".[9] The trailer notably was produced by Jack James Troisi, who led VFX on psychological horror film Talk To Me.[3] A second darkwebSTREAMER trailer produced by Troisi was released at IGN Fan Fest in March 2024.[10][11] darkwebSTREAMER has also been remarked on for its unusual website,[12] which evokes the style of the 90s internet.[7]
The game has featured widely across major games and news media, including in The New York Times[1] and ABC News,[13] and was notably showcased at the 2024 Tribeca Festival[14] where it was nominated for the Tribeca Games Award for "demonstrating artistic excellence in storytelling".[15] It has been selected as one of the best games of Gamescom,[16] GDC,[17] Day Of The Devs[18] and PAX Australia,[19] and has received multiple award nominations, including at SXSW Sydney (2023) and PAX Australia (2023), where it won the PAX Indie Showcase award.[4][6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Argüello, Diego (2024-02-06). "Video Games Are Mourning the Old, Weird, Clunky Internet - The New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Chamberlain, Paige. "Darkweb Streamer Preview - Can you earn new viewers and keep your sanity? | RPG Site". www.rpgsite.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ a b Jody Macgregor (2023-11-30). "Horror game darkwebSTREAMER contains an infinite procedurally generated internet and that sure sounds horrifying to me". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ a b c d e Spindler, Emily (2023-08-23). "Local Spotlight: darkwebSTREAMER Is An Occult Streaming Sim Not For The Faint-Hearted". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
- ^ a b "darkwebSTREAMER is a disturbing emergent narrative experience". www.gameshub.com. 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
- ^ a b Spindler, Emily (2023-07-28). "Here Are Your PAX Aus Indie Showcase Winners For 2023". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
- ^ a b Jasmine Gould-Wilson (2024-04-24). "darkwebSTREAMER is a "narrative roguelike" that interrogates the voyeuristic horror fan in us all". gamesradar. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "'90s Dark Web Streaming Sim Is Way More Terrifying Than I Expected". Kotaku. 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Lauren Morton (2023-11-30). "The 25 Most Wanted games, as revealed in PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Bankhurst, Adam (2024-02-09). "IGN Fan Fest 2024: How to Watch and What to Expect From the Event". IGN. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ IGN (2024-02-20). darkwebSTREAMER - Official Trailer | IGN Fan Fest 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-11 – via YouTube.
- ^ "darkwebSTREAMER //". www.darkwebstreamer.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "More diversity needed in booming gaming industry, Adelaide designer says". ABC News. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "Tribeca Festival's 2024 Lineup Features Some Really Exciting Games". Kotaku. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2023 GAMES PROGRAM". Tribeca. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah (2022-09-06). "The Best Little Games I Played at Gamescom 2022". IGN. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "The best games we played at GDC 2024". Digital Trends. 2024-03-22. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "The Best Games We Played at Day of the Devs". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ WellPlayed (2022-10-20). "The Best Games We Played At PAX Aus 2022". WellPlayed. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
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