Podcast: unpacking Unpacking with creator Wren Brier

Our Game of the Year 2021 was a surprise for some of you, I’m sure. It was – and is – a game that found a powerful new way to tell a story. A game that invited our lives and experiences into it by keeping the subject of its story out of direct sight.

It’s a simple game, a game about unpacking boxes, and it was inspired when co-creators Wren Brier and Tim Dawson did exactly that: moved in together. It was an idea that struck Brier almost immediately but she struggled mustering the confidence to build it out. With Dawson’s encouragement and help, though, she managed it, and years later, here we are. Unpacking is a rare game that resonates quickly and deeply with nearly everyone.

Today’s special guest on The Eurogamer Podcast, then, is Wren Brier, and this is the story of how Unpacking was made (on Windows 7!) and more. I particularly enjoyed talking about the deeper takeaways of the game in the second-half of the conversation.

Episode seven is now available to all, either to watch and listen here (and apologies for the issues with Brier’s headset microphone) or on all major podcasting platforms. If you use a platform it doesn’t appear on, please let me know.

Remember, subscribers to Eurogamer get new episodes of the podcast before everyone else! The new episode – episode eight – which features the hilarious double-act of Dan Marshall and Ben Ward, creators of the Dan and Ben series of games among many others, will be available later today. Head over the subscriptions area of our website to find out more.