Papers, Please
News, coverage and analysis tracking Papers, Please across the outlets.
'Balatro' Plays Winning Hand at GDCA 2025, Receiving Game of the YearBalatro, the indie roguelike deckbuilder from solo developer LocalThunk, won Game of the Year at the 25th annual Game Developers Choice Awards. The game also secured wins for Best Debut, Best Design, and the Innovation Award. Other notable winners included Astro Bot for Best Audio and Best Technology, and Sam Lake received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
Varför indiespel är det viktigaste vi harIndie games are crucial for innovation in the gaming industry because they allow for risk-taking that is too expensive for AAA developers. While large studios focus on safe, predictable titles, indie developers can experiment with unique ideas, leading to the creation of new genres and trends. This is reflected in Steam's revenue, where indie games constitute a significant portion of sales, demonstrating player preference for creative and novel experiences over blockbuster sequels.
Gaming industry pioneer Don Daglow reflects on key moments of his careerGaming industry veteran Don Daglow reflects on his five-decade career, from early mainframe experiments to pioneering MMORPGs and city-building games. He emphasizes the importance of player connection and fun over technological spectacle, drawing parallels between early interactive theater and modern game design. Daglow also shares insights on industry cycles, the risks of large budgets, and the enduring value of emotionally resonant games.
Gas Station Simulator Devs Drop Airport Contraband Demo April 23DRAGO Entertainment announced that their new roguelike simulation game, Airport Contraband, will release a demo on Steam on April 23. The game tasks players with acting as a customs officer in a tropical airport, balancing legal duties with requests from local cartels. This follows the success of their previous title, Gas Station Simulator.
Papers, Please dev, Lucas Pope, isn't talking about new game due to AI concernsDeveloper Lucas Pope, known for Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, is withholding details about his new game due to concerns about artificial intelligence. He expressed worries that AI could be used to copy or exploit his work, impacting the creative process he values. Pope is not interested in using AI to speed up development, emphasizing the importance of understanding all aspects of game creation.
Papers, Please, Return of the Obra Dinn dev Lucas Pope won't talk about current game in case it "gets slurped up by AI"Lucas Pope, the developer behind Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, is hesitant to discuss his current game due to concerns about artificial intelligence. He fears that details about his work could be copied or absorbed by AI, making him uncomfortable sharing progress.
"Video games are cooked": Publisher head says "it doesn't matter" how many of us hate gen AI, Pandora's box has opened and "it's gonna get used now"Mike Rose, founder of No More Robots, believes generative AI's integration into game development is irreversible, likening it to Pandora's box. He notes the increasing prevalence of AI-generated assets in game demos and the competitive pressure it creates for publishers. Despite player backlash, Rose asserts that the ease of AI tools will lead to their widespread adoption, fundamentally changing how games are made.
How does Papers, Please creator Lucas Pope deal with sharing his work in this era of AI? A severe lack of postingLucas Pope, the creator of Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, is hesitant to share details about his current projects due to concerns about AI content scraping. He expressed this sentiment during a podcast appearance, noting that the current internet climate makes him uncomfortable discussing his work in progress. Pope also reflected on the pressure of following up his critically acclaimed titles.
Return of the Obra Dinn developer Lucas Pope doesn't feel comfortable talking about new projects because maybe they'll be "slurped up by AI"Indie developer Lucas Pope, known for Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, is hesitant to discuss his upcoming projects due to concerns about them being "slurped up by AI" or copied. He expressed this sentiment on the "Mike & Rami Are Still Here" podcast, noting a general discomfort with revealing work-in-progress details in the current climate. Pope also reflected on his past successes and whether he should continue developing new titles.- AI Yi-Yi!OpenAI insiders reportedly lack trust in CEO Sam Altman, according to Ars Technica. Game developer Lucas Pope expressed concerns about his work being "slurped up by AI," highlighting broader anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence in creative industries.
After making 2 of the best indie games of all time, Lucas Pope won't even talk about his third because "it's getting slurped up by AI or people are gonna copy it"Indie developer Lucas Pope, known for Return of the Obra Dinn and Papers, Please, is hesitant to discuss his upcoming project due to concerns about AI data scraping and idea theft. He also expresses self-doubt about replicating the success of his previous acclaimed titles.
Papers, Please creator Lucas Pope no longer feels comfortable talking about work-in-progress games: 'the situation…Indie developer Lucas Pope, known for Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, expressed discomfort discussing his current work-in-progress games due to industry trends like AI and potential copying. He also reflected on whether he might retire on a high note after his previous successes.- Return of the Obra Dinn Dev Says AI Makes Him Hesitant to Talk About New ProjectsLucas Pope, the developer behind Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, expressed hesitation in discussing his current projects due to concerns about them being "slurped up by AI." He is worried that artificial intelligence could potentially consume or replicate his work before he is ready to reveal it.
Veteran indie developer scared to reveal new game in case it gets "slurped up by AI"Veteran indie developer Lucas Pope, known for Papers, Please and The Return of the Obra Dinn, expressed concerns about announcing his next game due to the rise of generative AI and potential idea theft. He feels less comfortable discussing his work in progress, fearing it could be copied or used by AI models. Pope also grapples with the pressure of following up his critically acclaimed past titles.
Papers, Please Creator Says AI Makes Him Nervous to Announce New ProjectsLucas Pope, the creator of Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, expressed concerns about announcing new projects due to the rise of generative AI potentially stealing ideas. He feels uncomfortable discussing upcoming games because concepts might be copied or absorbed by AI. Pope also cited personal satisfaction with his previous works as a reason for hesitation, contemplating ending on a high note.- Congratulations, This is HellLuminary Creations has announced Congratulations, This is Hell, a new strategy game set in a bureaucratic afterlife. The game is described as a fatalistic take on the gameplay mechanics seen in Papers, Please.
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 16, 2026)This article highlights five new games released on Steam between March 10 and March 13, 2026. The featured titles include 'Mama's Sleeping Angels,' a Lethal Company-like experience, the procedurally generated 'Lucid Blocks,' the decision-based 'The State of Nowhere,' and two old-school dungeon crawlers, 'Thysiastery' and 'Pluto,' which is also a roguelike deckbuilder.
Eye of the Match is Papers, Please, Severance, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2 mixed up into an enticing concotionEye of the Match is a unique upcoming game where players act as a virtual football referee, using game mechanics inspired by Papers, Please to call fouls based on real football rules. Developed by Mix and Jam, the game draws aesthetic inspiration from Severance and Pro Evolution Soccer, with a focus on simulation and rule interpretation rather than direct player control.