Walden, A Game, is a first-person simulation of the life of American philosopher Henry David Thoreau during his experiment in self-reliant living at Walden Pond. Players follow in Thoreau’s virtual footsteps, balancing their basic survival needs with a search for the sublime in the small beauties of the woods. Each season holds its own challenges for survival, but with them, possibilities for inspiration.

There are many reasons why Thoreau’s work should be important to us today – from his core environmentalism to his criticisms of the ways in which technologies change the speed and value of our lives, to his fundamental questioning of the role of government in society – all of which are as critical now, if not more so, than when he was writing. Supported by grants from the NEA and NEH, and by programs like Sundance New Frontiers Storytelling Lab, Walden, A Game is an ambitious independent game that strives to break ground in the field of expressive play. The game is the product of nearly a decade of work, a painstakingly crafted translation of Thoreau’s ideas and environment, an interactive translation of the classic American work set in a faith reproduction of its historical and natural contexts.