Not For Broadcast, a full-motion video political simulation game developed by NotGames, allows players to take on the role of a broadcast director, manipulating broadcast content and influencing the direction of the entire story.
The team admitted that the core concept stemmed from a demonstration in London in 2017. Creative Director Alex Paterson observed that events have different presentations from various angles, which can influence people’s actions. The four founders of the team have backgrounds in drama and film, which influenced their choice of game presentation and character setting.
They also revealed that the team is currently working on a brand-new DLC, scheduled for release later this year, which will be the final content in the Not For Broadcast universe.
Turning Weaknesses into Strengths: Leveraging Narrative Expertise despite Non-gaming Backgrounds
NotGames was founded by four members, most of whom had backgrounds in film and drama, with only Creative Director Jason Orbaum having experience in the gaming industry. Despite initially appearing as a team weakness, they capitalized on their shared background and a mutual belief in “our strength lies in storytelling.”
They emphasized the importance of imbuing the world of Not For Broadcast with authenticity. Since the fate of the nation in the game depends on the player’s views and actions towards political parties, meticulous attention was given to crafting elements such as national anthems, major internal propaganda programs, resistance group plans, and related symbols to make players feel the realism, where every action holds significance.
” You can’t experience the true darkness of a story if it has no lighter aspects to contrast with!” Apart from creating a cohesive world, NotGames also incorporated many quirky and darkly humorous plotlines into the game. Through these slightly crazy or completely different atmospheres, they emphasized certain serious story points or crucial moments in the game.
The team also revealed that several members made appearances in the game; for instance, COO Denis Sewell appeared in several front-page photos, and CEO Andy Murray even portrayed a clown in the game’s early stages. Many Easter eggs await players to discover.
Surprised by Global Fanbase, Not For Broadcast Team Announces Multilingual Version and Final DLC Release This Year
“We are thrilled that our work has been well-received internationally, which was beyond our expectations!” The team found that besides the European and American markets, Russian and Chinese players also highly embraced the game. To accommodate players, they translated the game into seven languages.
Additionally, since the game features numerous endings, the team engaged with the community through live streams, discussing the impact of each ending. They stressed that every ending is authentic to the game world, shaped by player choices.
If forced to choose, the team might opt for a “reconciliation ending,” representing a compromise between extreme left and right-wing parties. Finally, the in-game broadcaster will finally deliver real news.
The team emphasized how honored they are to have won Indie Game Award and highlighted the most memorable aspect of development: the vibrant player community surrounding the game. With over 50,000 members on Discord alone, this exceeded their wildest expectations. Their most unexpected and delightful experience was the regular interaction and live streams with players.
They are currently focused on completing the final DLC, “Timeloop,” for Not For Broadcast. They jokingly said, “This will be the last content in the game universe, serving as a heartfelt farewell to the characters, and hopefully, a lovely conclusion for our players.”
Get ‘Not For Broadcast’ on Steam, and top up your Steam Wallet on Codashop to earn bonus rewards.
