'Going Under' is described as a "satirical dungeon crawler" that transports players to the not so far off world of Neo-Cascadia, a dystopian city where players must navigate their way through the ruins of failed tech start-ups that instead of disappearing, sink beneath the surface of the world to exist indefinitely.
Acting as a unpaid intern who joined a start-up before it collapsed only to be stuck within its confines, players use whatever office supplies they can get their hands on to battle office monsters and collect their assets. Throughout the game, they'll have to fight their way through a number of different businesses that take inspiration from gig workers, dating sites, and cryptocurrency. The goal of the game is to uncover the real motives of employers, however players will also have plenty of opportunity to make a few office friends, "hire a freelance goblin," and interact with the world around them.
Going Under is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
Failed Tech Start-Up Games
Players Navigate a Dystopian World as an Unpaid Intern in 'Going Under'
Trend Themes
1. Satirical Video Games - There is an opportunity for game developers to create satirical video games that comment on the failures of certain industries or economic systems.
2. Dystopian Worlds - There is potential to create more video games that take place in dystopian worlds that reflect the anxieties and concerns of modern society.
3. Office Humor - There is a market for video games that use office humor and satire as a way to comment on contemporary work culture.
Industry Implications
1. Video Game Development - The video game development industry has an opportunity to create more games that are satirical, dystopian, or leverage office humor as a way to comment on modern society.
2. Gig Economy - The gig economy industry could be disrupted if satirical video games gain popularity as a way to draw attention to the negative impact of gig work on workers.
3. Cryptocurrency - The cryptocurrency industry could be disrupted if more video games use the concept of cryptocurrency in a dystopian context that highlights the potential dangers of unchecked financial systems.