The world of influencers is a wild one, filled with stunts and antics that sometimes border on the absurd. From eating excessive amounts of food to endangering themselves in public places, creators are constantly pushing the boundaries for attention. But when Logan Paul posted a video of himself discovering a dead body in a forest notorious for suicides, the internet erupted in outrage.
Now, a new video game called Content Warning takes this obsession with fame to a disturbing, meta level.
In Content Warning, players assume the role of content creators exploring abandoned facilities and haunted ships to film monstrous creatures. Their goal: Capture terrifying footage to upload to the fictional platform SpookTube without getting killed in the process. The game is a commentary on influencer culture, exploring the lengths people will go to in pursuit of viral fame.
Petter Henriksson, one of the game’s designers, explains, “It’s inspired by influencer culture, the grind of creating content and beating the algorithms to get views. The lengths people will go to go viral or die trying is really something.”
Content Warning has emerged as one of the standout horror games of the year, developed by the Swedish studio Landfall, known for quirky titles like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. The game, released as part of an April Fools’ Day tradition, quickly sold a million copies within a fortnight.
Featuring proximity chat, Content Warning allows players to communicate only when in close physical proximity within the game. An additional camera function enhances the experience, encouraging players to make risky decisions they can later view on a communal TV in their in-game home.
The resulting footage is a mix of hilarity and terror, with players dodging bizarre threats like giant snails, a robotic dog armed with a machine gun, and a menacing whisk.
Marcos Cardenas, a popular YouTuber who goes by the name Macro, comments, “It’s actually a little triggering as a YouTuber — you’re over here being a slave to the algorithm at times. You get more views in the SpookTube of the game if you do crazier and goofier stuff.”
Content Warning incentivizes players to upload clips to social media, resulting in a buzz surrounding the game on the internet. From interviewing the game’s creatures to creating fake brand deals, players are finding creative ways to engage with and satirize influencer culture.
Landfall’s CEO, Wilhelm Nylund, explains the choice to parody YouTube in the game, saying, “YouTube has been with me the whole journey of making games and one of the ways I originally found players to play them.”
Despite its futuristic setting, Content Warning’s YouTube-inspired theme resonates with present-day concerns. With elements like a Captcha-enforced cage creature and livestream simulation, the game offers a satirical take on our digital age.
While there’s no official story mode, the game hints at a lore that places players in a polluted world where they must don diving suits to capture footage for online fame. It’s a commentary on humanity’s sometimes misguided attempts to address environmental crises.
The stakes may be low in the game, but Content Warning’s reflection of our obsession with online validation is eerily accurate. As Cardenas notes, “There’s a nice catharsis to it. You’re not actually losing anything.”
