# We Were Here

> 2017 video game

**Wikidata**: [Q100253096](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100253096)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/we-were-here-q100253096

## Summary
We Were Here is a 2017 cooperative puzzle video game developed and self-published by the Dutch studio Total Mayhem Games. Released for Windows on 3 February 2017 and later for Xbox One on 16 September 2019, the title pairs two players in voice-only communication who must solve asymmetric puzzles to escape a frozen castle.

## Key Facts
- Developer & publisher: Total Mayhem Games (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- Initial release: 3 February 2017 (Microsoft Windows)
- Console release: 16 September 2019 (Xbox One)
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- Game mode: two-player online co-op only
- Series position: first entry in the "We Were Here" franchise
- Language: English
- Digital distribution: Steam, Microsoft Store
- OpenCritic aggregate: 70/100 (4 critics); 17 % critics recommend

## FAQs
### Q: Is We Were Here playable solo?
A: No. The game requires exactly two human players connected online; there is no single-player or local-coop mode.

### Q: Do both players see the same puzzles?
A: No. Each player is isolated in different castle wings and must describe unique visual clues to the other, making asymmetric communication the core mechanic.

### Q: On which consoles can I play We Were Here?
A: After the 2019 Xbox release it is backward-compatible with Xbox Series X|S; no PlayStation or Switch versions have been announced.

### Q: Is the game free?
A: The PC version was originally offered free-to-play to build the community; today it is sold as a paid digital download on Steam and Microsoft Store.

## Why It Matters
We Were Here carved out a niche for small-team, high-concept co-op experiences. Built by a seven-person Dutch studio on a modest budget, it proved that asymmetric communication could be a compelling game mechanic rather than a mere feature. Its release-day giveaway on Steam attracted more than a million players, providing invaluable telemetry that shaped the later commercial sequels. By limiting interaction to voice chat and forcing players to describe radically different visual information, the game became a de-facto social experiment in clarity, trust, and language under pressure. Speed-runners and streamers embraced its short, intense sessions, cementing the title as a go-to co-op starter game. Academics have cited its design in studies on remote collaboration, and its success emboldened Total Mayhem Games to bootstrap a full franchise without external publishers, demonstrating that European indie teams can compete globally while remaining independent.

## Notable For
- First commercial title released by Total Mayhem Games (Rotterdam)
- Pioneered asymmetric voice-only co-op in a 3-D first-person space
- Achieved 1 M+ Steam downloads within weeks after launch-day giveaway
- Spawned four sequels, forming a continuous narrative universe
- Maintains a 4.5/5 Steam user rating from more than 25 k reviews

## Body
### Development & Release
Total Mayhem Games, founded in Rotterdam, prototyped We Were Here as a student project before polishing it for commercial release. The team self-funded development and elected to launch the Windows build free of charge on Steam on 3 February 2017 to seed a player base. A Linux build followed, and Xbox One arrived on 16 September 2019 via ID@Xbox. The game is built in Unity and occupies roughly 4 GB installed.

### Gameplay Structure
Two strangers (or friends) are randomly assigned the role of Explorer or Librarian inside a snowbound medieval castle. Each player occupies a unique environment—tight stone corridors for one, a trap-laden library for the other—and can only communicate via in-game walkie-talkie voice chat. Puzzles are asymmetric: one side possesses the solution, the other holds the controls, forcing precise verbal description. A session lasts 30-60 minutes and ends with one of several escape endings.

### Reception & Legacy
Critics praised the novel communication mechanic but noted thin narrative and short length. OpenCritic lists 70/100 as the Top Critic Average, with only 17 % of surveyed critics recommending the title. Nonetheless, user reviews on Steam remain "Very Positive," and the game peaked at 12 000 concurrent players in 2017. Its success financed sequels—We Were Here Too (2018), We Were Here Together (2019), We Were Here Forever (2022), and the upcoming We Were Here Expeditions—turning a student prototype into a commercially sustainable franchise.

## References

1. Steam
2. OpenCritic
3. Online Games-Datenbank
4. Trovo Live
5. [Source](https://gamerprofiles.com/game/Yx9Dp/We-Were-Here)
6. Q131917281