Get to know the people that make great videogames

Today on Sup Holmes we welcomeRichard Hofmeierto the program. Richard created theaward winningCart Life, a game about working as a street vendor. This game does not help you to escape from the pains of real life. Instead it studies those pains, aids in processing them, and provides avenues for empathy for those that suffer them.

The idea of games as tools for empathy has been a hot topic lately. People seem to be hungry for that kind of game, though it’s not clear that most publishers and developers have picked up on their hunger. So many of us in the games industry got into the field because we thought of the medium as an avenue for escapism. It’s taking us a while to catch up to an audience that appears ready to play games that take on sometimes unpleasant, difficult realities.

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We’ll be talking to Richard about all that, his influences, his love ofHowling Dogs, how it feels to be called pretentious, his future projects, and whatever else comes up. Join us at 1pm PST/4pm EST for the whole shebang.

John and Molly sitting on the park bench

Close up shot of Marissa Marcel starring in Ambrosio

Kukrushka sitting in a meadow

Lightkeeper pointing his firearm overlapped against the lighthouse background

Overseer looking over the balcony in opening cutscene of Funeralopolis

Edited image of Super Imposter looking through window in No I’m not a Human demo cutscene with thin man and FEMA inside the house

Indie game collage of Blue Prince, KARMA, and The Midnight Walk

Close up shot of Jackie in the Box

Silhouette of a man getting shot as Mick Carter stands behind cover