Play as a squirrel in newspaper narrative game Media Circus
Papercoda Games has revealed a new project.
Media Circus is a narrative-strategy game where a squirrel launches a newspaper as its editor-in-chief. Demos of the game at A MAZE. / Berlin 2025, DoKomi 2025, and Reboot Develop Blue 2025 have earned grand responses from players. Gamescom 2025 attendees will be able to try out the game at the Games for Democracy stall in the Indie Arena Booth. A teaser trailer can be seen here.
Papercoda Games said this about the forthcoming title:
“We made this game because we want to remind everyone what’s at stake when the Fourth Estate falters. But we also want to do it in a way that’s engaging, thought-provoking, and — above all — fun.”
A synopsis for Media Circus reads:
Launch your newspaper and sway the masses in a unique animal world! Direct reporters, plan stories, blow up Headlines for Impact and throw in Ads for Profit. With every faction gunning for a piece of your front page, how far will you go to keep your paper in print — and yourself out of trouble?
Plan your Newspaper - Choose what becomes News! - creative newspaper designing mechanics let you control what becomes news and how much it impacts your fictional world.
Grow your Influence - your newspaper is a business. Attract readers, secure profits and beat your competition to grow your influence and bank balance.
Manipulate a funny animal world - an innovative modular narrative system ensures the world reacts minutely to your editorial, narrative & financial choices and strategies, resulting in high replayability!
Forge your Identity - Will you be a money-spinning tabloid, serious investigative journal, a propaganda mouthpiece, or something in between? Your actions and impact will result in hundreds of unique stories and endings.
Media Circus will hit PC (via Steam) first in early 2027 before heading to consoles. Wishlist the game on Steam right now here.
Since 2009, MP3s and NPCs owner Terrance Pryor has written about music, conventions, cosplay, and video games for publications such as AXS, Examiner, Fake Walls, and Ranker. Based out of Los Angeles, the former rock concert promoter/radio host can be seen talking about rock music on AXS TV’s Music’s Greatest Mysteries and discussing music and whatever else on their Black Man Talks Rock channel on YouTube.