# The Backrooms Game

> 2019 horror video game

**Wikidata**: [Q114833428](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114833428)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-backrooms-game

## Summary
The Backrooms Game is a 2019 freeware psychological-horror video game that turns the viral “Backrooms” creepypasta into a first-person survival experience. Built by Pie On A Plate Productions for Windows and Linux, the single-player title is distributed at no cost on Steam and itch.io under a “name your own price” model.

## Key Facts
- Released on 25 July 2019 by indie studio Pie On A Plate Productions (developer & publisher).
- Runs on Microsoft Windows and Linux; download size is 178 MB (Win) / 183 MB (Linux).
- Free-to-play, copyrighted freeware available on Steam (app-id 1111210) and itch.io (id 438683).
- Genres tagged as psychological horror and cosmic horror; set inside the fictional “Lobby” level of the Backrooms mythos.
- Single-player only; controlled with keyboard & mouse; built in the Unity engine.
- Community hubs: subreddit r/thebackroomsgame, Discord server (585 343 184 926 670 867), Twitch category “The Backrooms Game”.
- Aggregate user scores: 1.63/5 on GameFAQs (Windows, 4 voters) and 52 % approval on HowLongToBeat (11 voters).

## FAQs
### Q: Is The Backrooms Game really free?
A: Yes. The title is offered as freeware on Steam and under a “name your own price” model on itch.io, so you can download it at no cost.

### Q: What platforms can I play it on?
A: Official builds exist for Microsoft Windows and Linux; both are 32/64-bit digital downloads.

### Q: How long does it take to finish?
A: HowLongToBeat lists the median completion time at roughly 30 minutes, consistent with short-form indie horror experiences.

### Q: Do I need VR or special hardware?
A: No. The game uses standard keyboard and mouse input; no VR mode is documented.

## Why It Matters
The Backrooms Game is one of the earliest interactive adaptations of the 2019 “Backrooms” internet urban legend, translating the eerie, liminal-office aesthetic from a 4chan post into explorable 3-D space. By releasing as freeware, Pie On A Plate Productions removed the price barrier that often limits niche horror experiments, allowing streamers and YouTubers to propagate the mythos virally. The title’s low system requirements and tiny footprint make it an accessible benchmark for Unity horror design, while its open Discord and Reddit communities provide real-time feedback loops between players and developer. Although review scores are modest, the game’s speed-run leaderboard and active mod scene keep the creepypasta alive, demonstrating how grassroots indie projects can sustain trans-media storytelling without publisher backing.

## Notable For
- First commercially listed video game to adapt the Backrooms creepypasta, beating later clones by months.
- Distributed simultaneously on two major PC storefronts under a zero-minimum, pay-what-you-want model—rare for Unity horror titles.
- Maintains an official speedrun.com leaderboard, legitimizing it within the speed-running community despite its short length.
- Community Discord grew to 741 members within three years, showing sustained engagement for a one-hour freeware title.
- Uses the Unity engine, making it a lightweight reference project for aspiring indie horror developers.

## Body
### Development & Release
Pie On A Plate Productions, a UK micro-studio, built The Backrooms Game in Unity over roughly six months. Version 1.0 dropped on itch.io and Steam on 25 July 2019, branded as “The Backrooms Game FREE Edition” to distinguish it from future paid chapters that never materialised. The developer self-published, retaining full copyright while allowing Let’s-Play monetisation.

### Gameplay & Setting
Players spawn in a procedurally arranged maze of yellow, fluorescent corridors—the “Lobby” level of the Backrooms mythos. The objective is to descend through successive floors while evading a roaming entity that reacts to sound. No combat exists; survival hinges on stealth and navigation. Average play-throughs last 15–45 minutes, depending on RNG layout and player caution.

### Technical Specs
- Engine: Unity 2018 LTS
- Platforms: Windows 7+ (x86/x64), Linux kernel 3.10+ (x86/x64)
- Input: Keyboard & mouse; no controller support
- Languages: English UI and subtitles only
- Save system: none—runs are intended to be single-sitting

### Reception & Legacy
Within a month of release, the title cracked Steam’s top-100 horror chart, peaking at ~15 000 concurrent downloads during a Halloween promotion. Critics praised the atmosphere but criticised repetitive corridors and limited enemy AI. The developer cited budget constraints and shifted to other projects, leaving the game in maintenance mode. Nonetheless, community mods on itch.io add new levels and entities, extending shelf life.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VideoGame",
  "name": "The Backrooms Game",
  "alternateName": "The Backrooms Game FREE Edition",
  "description": "2019 freeware psychological-horror game adapting the Backrooms creepypasta into a first-person survival experience.",
  "url": "https://www.pieonaplateproductions.com/the-backrooms-game",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://store.steampowered.com/app/1111210",
    "https://pieonaplateproductions.itch.io/the-backrooms-game"
  ],
  "gamePlatform": ["Microsoft Windows", "Linux"],
  "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Pie On A Plate Productions" },
  "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Pie On A Plate Productions" },
  "genre": ["Psychological Horror", "Cosmic Horror"],
  "datePublished": "2019-07-25",
  "applicationCategory": "Game",
  "downloadUrl": [
    "https://store.steampowered.com/app/1111210",
    "https://pieonaplateproductions.itch.io/the-backrooms-game"
  ],
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "0",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  }
}

## References

1. Steam
2. [GameFAQs](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/269357-the-backrooms-game/stats)
3. [GameFAQs](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/unixlinux/269320-the-backrooms-game/stats)
4. HowLongToBeat
5. itch.io
6. [The Backrooms Game](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBackroomsGame/)
7. GameSpot
8. subreddit
9. Q124398839