We Become What We Behold

A Short Game With a Long Message About Attention

We Become What We Behold is a satirical interactive experience by Nicky Case. You play as a news camera operator. You photograph moments in a crowd, those photographs become headlines, and the crowd changes based on what they see. The cycle of what gets photographed, what becomes news, and how news reshapes behavior is the entire point.

The game is deliberately short, running just a few minutes, but the density of its social commentary makes it memorable long after the screen goes dark. It is equal parts game and essay, exploring how media framing amplifies fear and distrust more effectively than any single argument could.

The Mechanics as the Message

• Selective framing: What you choose to photograph determines what the news amplifies.
• Feedback loops: Crowd behavior changes based on what they believe the news shows them.
• Escalation design: Tension builds through your own choices, not external scripted events.
• No neutral options: Every photo is a position, intentional or not.
• Compressed timeline: The full media cycle plays out in minutes, exposing its mechanics clearly.

Why It Resonates Well Beyond Gaming

The game works because its mechanics directly model the real dynamics it critiques. You are not just watching a story about media distortion. You are actively participating in it, which creates a different kind of understanding than passive media literacy content.

It is also a conversation starter. Playing it with others, then discussing what each choice felt like and why, often produces more insight than the game alone. It opens questions about attention, responsibility, and amplification that stay relevant across any media landscape.

How to Engage with the Game Meaningfully

• Play it twice: First run naturally, second run deliberately to see how different framing choices change the outcome.
• Notice what you are drawn to photograph: That instinct is part of the game message.
• Watch what headlines get created: The transformation from moment to headline is the core demonstration.
• Discuss it afterward: The most valuable part of the experience often happens off-screen.