Citizen Sleeper dev says BAFTA award nomination makes them feel "very uncomfortable"
"That stuff's complicated."
Indie sci-fi RPG Citizen Sleeper has been praised for its coverage of important themes and stylish, tabletop-inspired gameplay. Recently, it was even nominated for four BAFTA awards, including British Game of the Year. In a new interview with Eurogamer, designer Gareth Damian Martin discusses their mixed feelings about having the game in the spotlight, and what it represents.
“It’s a very weird position to be in because it feels like a bit of a veiled compliment. As in, it kind of implies strange things about what games are. What does it mean for a game by a non-binary person that is about trans experience, that is about the gig economy, that is about citizenship and refugees? And to be the best British game in a year? Do I even want to be part of a project that is about sticking all those things under a flag and celebrating them because they’re under that flag? It makes me feel very uncomfortable. That stuff’s complicated.”
Creating a game that summarizes so many important issues certainly sounds like a complicated affair, but we’re grateful that creators like Damian Martin are willing to attempt it. If you’re looking for more insight, Damian Martin goes on in the full interview to discuss the game’s themes and ideas in more depth, including the gig economy, chronic depression, and welfare inequality.
Unfortunately, Citizen Sleeper failed to take home any of the BAFTA Awards it was nominated for, but its nominations still stand as evidence that it’s a game worth looking into. Click here to read the full interview with Gareth Damian Martin and click here to check out Citizen Sleeper on the Switch eShop.
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