The Last Worker Offers a Glimpse into a Dystopian Future of the Gaming Industry

The Last Worker, developed by Oiffy and Wolf & Wood, presents a dystopian perspective on the future of capitalism, fearlessly showcasing its political inclinations. The game tackles the consequences of workplace automation and corporate downsizing, while also exploring underlying themes such as climate change and the critique of a throwaway culture driven by content. At its core, the game is concerned with the concept of end-stage capitalism, a theme that director Jörg Tittel acknowledges may be divisive. However, Tittel is more interested in encouraging discussion among players and fostering a shift in their approach to both video games and society as a whole. Tittel notes that when people hear the term "end-stage capitalism," they often assume he is criticizing capitalism. He clarifies that this is not the case, using the analogy of a terminally ill grandmother to illustrate his point. He emphasizes that acknowledging the problems with capitalism does not necessarily mean he hates the system. The game guides players through Tittel's vision of a dystopian future by placing them in the role of Kurt, the last human worker at Jüngle, a futuristic parody of Amazon. Kurt must compete with robots to keep his job, highlighting the consequences of automation in the workplace. Tittel draws inspiration from his experiences, including a visit to a Tesco supermarket in central London in 2014, where he witnessed the replacement of human employees with self-checkout tills. He recounts a conversation with the two remaining employees, who were struggling to come to terms with the sudden automation of their work. Tittel is critical of the tech industry leaders, describing them as "man-children" with no cultural depth. He accuses them of reducing complex issues to simplistic solutions, fooling people into thinking they cannot survive without their technology. The game is not anti-technology, however. Tittel acknowledges the importance of technology in the gaming industry, but emphasizes that games should not be solely driven by tech. He believes that the unique aspect of video games is their ability to bring human expression into a single medium, making them a powerful art form. Tittel is frustrated that games are rarely discussed in everyday conversations, despite their growing cultural relevance. He attributes this to the tendency of big-budget games to avoid political issues or pretend to be apolitical. He criticizes the stance of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, who claims that their games do not make political statements, despite many of their titles addressing current political themes. Tittel argues that the emphasis on "content" in the gaming industry has led to a homogenization of games, with many titles being indistinguishable from one another. He believes that this has resulted in a lack of originality and creativity, with games prioritizing profit over substance. The Last Worker offers a commentary on the state of the gaming industry, encouraging players to think critically about the games they play and the industry as a whole. Tittel hopes that his game will inspire a discussion about the importance of originality and creativity in game development, and the need to reject automation and embrace human touch. Ultimately, Tittel wants The Last Worker to encourage players to stay human, stay original, and care about the games they play. He hopes that the game will inspire a new wave of creativity and innovation in the industry, one that prioritizes substance over profit and celebrates the unique art form that video games represent.