Genesis Foundation shines new light on the art game with its commission The Sun Stands Still

Friday, 19 December 2014

Sunday 21 December 2014 – Winter Solstice – sees the release of a ground-breaking new art game by award-winning literary author and luminary in the world of games, Naomi Alderman. Commissioned by the Genesis Foundation, The Sun Stands Still – expressing the meaning of the word ‘solstice’ – explores the spiritual possibilities of the art game and will be distributed for free via the web for either Mac or PC.

Naomi Alderman is the co-creator of the immersive best-selling fitness game Zombies, Run!, lead writer on Perplex City and writes a regular column on gaming for The Observer.

Describing the game, Naomi comments:

“The game is a digital journey – a short narrative about the feeling of hopelessness, the descent and the start of return to light. It comprises nine levels. In the first six, the audience players visit different ‘rooms’ (the home, the office, the supermarket). They have control of a smoke-character and a list of tasks to perform – things to pick up and use. There are also hazards to avoid. To do both of these things they’ll need to turn on various lights in their environment. As time goes on, the tasks become progressively more difficult to achieve.”

John Studzinski, Founder & Chairman of the Genesis Foundation commented:

“The Sun Stands Still, as a digital game, is undoubtedly something new for the Genesis Foundation. But I’d also like to think that, in its sensitive and subtle exploration of existential issues and spirituality, it represents something new for the genre of the art game. With her multi-faceted skills as a thinker and storyteller, and her reputation in the field of digital media, Naomi Alderman has created something that will prove compelling and, dare I say, illuminating for many thousands of people.”

A digital game is something of a departure for the Genesis Foundation which collaborates with high-profile organisations in the fields of music and theatre. The Sun Stands Still, and its depiction of a turning point from darkness to light, picks up on the implications of the Stabat Mater and forms part of the Genesis Foundation’s Stabat Mater project. In June 2014 The Sixteen performed the world premieres of three new settings of the Stabat Mater by leading contemporary composers commissioned by the Genesis Foundation, and further Stabat Mater projects are underway.

To play The Sun Stands Still click here.

To read the full press release and find out more about the game, click here.