Exploring 'gamer brain' through Baby Steps and speedrunning culture

A writer explores the phenomenon of "gamer brain" — a compulsion to pursue objectively pointless in-game achievements — using the indie game Baby Steps and events such as Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) as touchstones. The piece defines gamer brain with concrete examples: retrying the same mini-game for a better high score, walking invisible level boundaries just in case, staying with a game to unlock a trophy, or refusing to lower difficulty to avoid "letting the game win." The author says it is unclear whether games cause this obstinacy or attract people who are already that way, and notes extreme instances such as learning impossible Guitar Hero songs at double speed or taking on blindfolded or heavily modded challenges at AGDQ.

Baby Steps is described as both embracing and gently mocking gamer brain. Creators Gabe Cuzillo and Bennett Foddy say much of the level design is a "joke you’re making with the player," deliberately tempting players into risky, pointless actions.

Key Topics

Culture, Gamer Brain, Baby Steps, Agdq, Bennett Foddy, Gabe Cuzillo