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Indie game envisions post-capitalist future
2 Oct
Summary
- Future? No Thanks! game depicts Pittsburgh in 2045 as an ecosocialist utopia.
- The game critiques capitalism and explores potential societal futures.
- Its creator, Paolo Pedercini, aims to inspire a better world through art.
Pittsburgh in 2045 is depicted as an ecosocialist paradise in the new video game Future? No Thanks!. This game, created by Paolo Pedercini, goes beyond critiquing capitalism to envision what might come after.
Pedercini, an art and game design professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has previously addressed the ills of modern capitalism through countercultural games. His latest work, developed over five years, was released on PC and Mac in early September 2026.
Future? No Thanks! plays like an indie Grand Theft Auto, allowing players to explore a near-future Pittsburgh. The game satirizes societal trends, including a humorous AI supercomputer designed as Karl Marx, referencing Chile's 1970s Project Cybersyn.
The game is unapologetically didactic, unlike many modern blockbuster titles that avoid pushing politics. Pedercini believes this vision aligns with the momentum seen in young democratic socialist politicians. The development process involved a Pittsburgh theater company and faced delays due to Steam's assessment of its nudity content.
Pedercini describes the game as an "exercise in resourcefulness," aiming to achieve ambition without relying on big publishers, large teams, or extensive marketing budgets, thus largely avoiding capitalist interference.
