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Wageslave – I quit my soul sucking job to make a game about it

Wageslave – I quit my soul sucking job to make a game about it

by stonecauldron·Mar 31, 2026·16 points·10 comments

AI Analysis

MidCozy

15-30 minute dystopian office sim with KPI-driven survival mechanics.

Strengths
  • Relatable satire resonates with developers who've endured corporate culture.
  • Polished pixel art aesthetic with cohesive office dystopia theme.
  • Multiple endings and promotion system add replay value for short experience.
Weaknesses
  • No technical innovation; standard interactive fiction mechanics throughout.
  • Sound bug reported in comments; crackling effect distracts from experience.
Category
Target Audience

Indie game players, software developers

Similar To

Papers Please · Job Simulator · The Stanley Parable

Post Description

Game development used to be something I dabbled in and off, and despite having chosen to major in Computer Science to follow a career in the field, I never managed to establish any consistency with it.

So I relegated this aspiration to the realm of pipe dreams, something whose idea I preferred to the actual process of doing it, and I continued working as a software engineer.

This only changed after a disruption to my job: the fintech I worked for got acquired by a big traditional bank and we were absorbed into their ranks.

Long story short: it wasn't a culture fit.

After six months, I decided to quit; earning a salary was the only thing keeping me there.

With all this newfound free time, I decided to give game dev another chance. I would never get back those six months, but I could use them as fuel for creative inspiration.

That's how the idea of wageslave came to be: I wanted to embody the absurdity of the 9 to 5 into an interactive format. As well as include winks and nods to developer culture.

I don't know if I was successful with this goal, but it's been lots of fun creating it as well as being a cathartic experience for me. I am actually enjoying the process and not just the results. So much so that I'm aiming to complete at least two more projects before I reevaluate whether this is viable.

I initially planned on releasing the game for free, but in the spirit of taking game dev seriously, I will be selling it for a small amount.

Feel free to try the demo, I'd be happy to hear about any feedback!

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