Ministry of Broadcast

Lore & Background

Ministry of Broadcast was in development since February 2018 by two teams: Twin Petes (Petr Škorňok and Petr Melicherík) and Fuchs+Dachs (Sanja Čežek and Dušan Čežek). The idea originated in late 2017 when the developers saw a video about the Berlin Wall. Škorňok and Melicherík, both programmers from start-up web services, had previously made a small text game and sought artists for a new project. They discovered the pixel art of Sanja Čežek and Dušan Čežek through their browser game A Midsummer Night's Dream: Replayed and offered collaboration. The Čežeks, whose own game development had been terminated, agreed, and Twin Petes merged into Ministry of Broadcast Studio.

The original game concept was an arena shooter, but after the teams joined forces, it was completely redesigned into a cinematic platformer with a strong narrative. The game is set in a totalitarian country divided by the Wall. The player character, Orange, must compete in a lethal reality TV show called the 'Wall Show,' navigating levels with traps, enemies (including guard dogs), spikes, piranhas in water, and puzzles that sometimes require using other contestants. Ministry of Broadcast Studio partnered with publisher Hitcents, who agreed to publish the game on Steam and Nintendo Switch. The Steam version released on 30 January 2020, and the Nintendo Switch version in Japan on 7 May 2020.

Reader's Guide

Ministry of Broadcast stands as a notable independent title from 2020, recognized for its character development, cinematic tone, art style, and story. Its development history illustrates a common indie path: two programmer friends (Twin Petes) merging with a pixel-artist couple (Fuchs+Dachs) after a chance discovery of their work. The game's shift from an arena shooter to a narrative-driven cinematic platformer reflects a deliberate pivot toward storytelling. Its inspiration from George Orwell's 1984 and gameplay homage to Prince of Persia situate it within a tradition of politically charged, classic-style platformers. The game won Best Gameplay and was nominated for Best Art at the 2018 Game Access event, indicating early recognition during development. Its release on Steam and Nintendo Switch, with a Japanese launch shortly after, shows a targeted multiplatform strategy. The game's themes—a totalitarian state, a lethal reality show, and a wall dividing a country—resonate with contemporary political concerns, though the article does not elaborate on its broader cultural impact.

Did You Know?

• Ministry of Broadcast was originally conceived as an arena shooter before being redesigned as a cinematic platformer.
• The game's idea came from a video about the Berlin Wall seen by the developers in late 2017.
• The development team merged two groups: Twin Petes (programmers) and Fuchs+Dachs (pixel artists).