You've been logged out of GDC Vault since the maximum users allowed for this account has been reached. To access Members Only content on GDC Vault, please log out of GDC Vault from the computer which last accessed this account.

Click here to find out about GDC Vault Membership options for more users.

close

Session Name:

'Unpacking' Zen: Designing a Game Without Fail States or Scores

Overview:

A zen game about taking items out of boxes after a move might sound extremely niche, but Unpacking by Witch Beam Games has gone on to achieve critical and commercial success, selling over a million copies and winning over 20 awards around the worldincluding a BAFTA for its narrative and a GDCA for innovation. The game lacks many conventional game design components: There are no scores, no time limits, no fail states, no consequences to choices, and no dialogue. Not only did Unpacking not need these elements, it is a better game for omitting them. What's left when all of these things are taken away? And why design a game like this? This talk will explore the rationale for Unpacking's design and the way it was implemented in practice.

Did you know free users get access to 30% of content from the last 2 years?


Get your team full access to the most up to date GDC content

  • Game Developers Conference 2023
  • Wren Brier
  • Witch Beam
  • free content
  • Design
  • Design