Walden: A Contemplative Video Game Based on Thoreau's Classic

Smithsonian Magazine has called Walden 'the most improbable video game in the world.' Developed by a team led by Tracy J. Fullerton, director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, the game subverts typical video game conventions of action, speed, and violence. Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's 1854 work Walden; or, Life in the Woods, the game invites players to slowly experience Thoreau's retreat into the woods, seeking a deeper connection with nature. Non-contemplative actions are limited to hunting, fishing, and gathering herbs for sustenance; the rest of the time is spent meditating, listening to nature sounds, and reading Thoreau's reflections. The game took nearly ten years to develop and is available in alpha version on the project's website for Windows and iOS platforms.