Not For Broadcast
A propaganda simulator set in a dystopian 1980s television station.
Not For Broadcast is a full-motion propaganda simulator from the British developer NotGames, published by tinyBuild. It entered early access with its first episode on 30 January 2020, and the complete game—including the third and final episode—came out worldwide for Windows on 25 January 2022. Console and VR versions arrived on 23 March 2023 for Meta Quest 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The game is set in an unnamed European country that looks a lot like the United Kingdom, during the mid-1980s. A populist socialist party called Advance wins a surprise landslide election and starts governing in an increasingly authoritarian, dystopian way—forcing wealth redistribution and nationalising major corporations. You play as Alex Winston, a studio director at a national TV station, tasked with producing a live broadcast: switching camera feeds, playing adverts, censoring swear words, and managing signal interference to keep viewership high.
Early access reviews were positive, especially praising the gameplay and mechanics. Some early versions, however, were criticised for confusing political storytelling and a tonal mismatch.
**Gameplay**
The setting is a fictional country resembling the UK, spanning 1984 to 1991.
*Broadcast days* You play as Alex Winston, the faceless studio director in the production control room of the National Nightly News. Using a vision mixer, you choose which camera feed goes live—with a two-second broadcast delay. You must bleep out profanity or objectionable language as it airs. Later levels let you add sound effects like applause or canned laughter. A waveform monitor helps you control interference. An audience meter shows your performance: good editing raises viewership; poor editing, missed censorship, or interference drops it. If the meter hits zero, you fail the level.
During each broadcast, you pick three advertisements for breaks and decide which headlines run in the first segment. These choices affect the game’s outcome—promoting Advance or its rival Disrupt, boosting your earnings if you hold shares in certain companies, or unlocking story variations. After each broadcast day, you get a grade that affects your pay, and you can watch the broadcast or the unused footage.
*Non-broadcast days* Alex has a life and family outside the control room.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Not For Broadcast
- Developer
- NotGames
- Publisher
- tinyBuild
- Director
- Alex Paterson · Jason Orbaum · George Vere (The Telethon)
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · Meta Quest 2 · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- Windows · 25 January 2022 · Quest 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S · 23 March 2023
- Genre
- Government simulation
- Modes
- Single-player
- Designer
- Andy Murray · Alex Paterson
- Programmer
- Jason Orbaum · George Burchmore · Peter Champion
- Producer
- Andy Murray · Denis Sewell · Zara Coombes (film)
- Artist
- Alex Paterson · Denis Sewell · Zara Coombes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game is set in a fictional unnamed European country resembling the United Kingdom, from 1984 to 1991. The player takes the role of Alex Winston, a studio director at a national television station, tasked with producing a live broadcast, selecting adverts, censoring profanity, and managing interference to maintain viewership. The story begins when the left-wing political party Advance wins a surprise landslide election and implements increasingly authoritarian policies, including wealth redistribution and nationalisation. A resistance group called Disrupt forms to oppose Advance. The plot unfolds over several years, involving nuclear war, a hostage crisis, and the eventual creation of a federal state called the United Territories. The game features a cast including Paul Baverstock as Jeremy Donaldson, Claire Racklyeft as Julia Salisbury, and Roger Alborough as Peter Clement.
Reader's Guide
Not For Broadcast received positive reviews upon early access release, with praise directed at its gameplay and mechanics. Early versions were criticised for confusing political storytelling and dissonance in tone. The game's development was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, which halted filming for a planned second episode. Instead of pausing production, the developers created a bonus chapter titled Not For Broadcast: Lockdown, featuring a new storyline with the cast sheltering at home. The game's incident system presents text-based choices in visual novel format that affect the protagonist's family relationships and can influence broadcast events. The game offers fourteen different epilogues depending on player choices and political stance.
Did You Know?
- The game's first episode entered early access on 30 January 2020.
- The full game, including the third and final episode, released on 25 January 2022.
- A bonus chapter titled Not For Broadcast: Lockdown was created after COVID-19 halted production of the second episode.
- The game features fourteen different epilogues depending on player choices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Not For Broadcast?
Not For Broadcast is a full-motion propaganda simulator that drops you into a dystopian 1980s television broadcasting station. You assemble state media content in a fictional European nation amid a sudden political upheaval.
Who developed and published Not For Broadcast?
The game was created by the British studio NotGames and published by tinyBuild. It entered early access in January 2020 and reached its full retail release in January 2022.
When was Not For Broadcast released?
The first episode went into early access on 30 January 2020, and the complete three-episode game launched for Windows on 25 January 2022. Console and VR versions followed on 23 March 2023.
What is the setting of Not For Broadcast?
The story unfolds in an unnamed mid-1980s European country that closely mirrors the United Kingdom. A populist socialist party called Advance has just swept to power in a surprise landslide, and the game follows the state TV station charged with molding public opinion.
What platforms can I play Not For Broadcast on?
The title is available on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Meta Quest 2 VR. The PC version arrived first in 2022, with all other platforms receiving the game in March 2023.
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