AP Thomson’s latest release, Titanium Court, explores the concept of magic through the lens of the mundane and the systems that govern our reality. Thomson, a two-time IGF Seamus McNally Grand Prize winner, discusses how the game challenges players’ perceptions of familiar mechanics and moral choices, using them as a tool to provoke deeper thought and ultimately, encourage self-reflection.
The interview delves into Thomson’s unique approach to game design, where familiar elements like match-3 puzzles are treated as flexible ingredients rather than strict genres. This approach, coupled with the use of folklore-inspired figures like fairies, creates a game that defies easy categorization and generates friction even within platforms like Steam, which relies on genre classifications.
Thomson describes Titanium Court as a “spell” cast on the player, a deliberate strategy to engage them and encourage them to question their assumptions about gameplay and reality. The game subtly manipulates player expectations, leading them to confront their own preconceived notions about how games are played and how they interact with systems, both in-game and in the real world.
A significant theme explored is the concept of moral choices in games. Instead of presenting players with simple good-or-evil dichotomies, Titanium Court aims to foster a growing awareness of their agency. The game highlights that the most radical choice a player has is often the decision to stop playing, a realization that challenges the very premise of game completion and encourages a re-evaluation of commitment and complicity.
Ultimately, Titanium Court seeks to reframe the mundane as magical by drawing attention to the underlying systems that shape our experiences. The game’s “magic trick” lies not just in its narrative or mechanics, but in its ability to make players question why they engage with systems in the first place, both within the virtual world and beyond it.
