FACEMINER will have you scale up your A.I. surveillance empire on February 27

A narrative-driven management simulation that plunges players into the heart of a 90s-era data harvesting and artificial intelligence empire, FACEMINER is set for release on February 27th.

AI is very much at the centre of this one. It's set against the backdrop of 90s techno-optimism, a story-driven descent into the machinery of data harvesting and artificial intelligence. From server meltdowns to climate catastrophes, every decision carries weight as you navigate the complex world of planetary-scale data management. FACEMINER blends management mechanics with a layered narrative, inviting players to reflect on the cascading consequences of their actions while scaling their surveillance empire.

Check out the release date trailer below:

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Feature Highlight:

Deep Incremental Data Center Management - Manage every detail of your growing data empire, from RAM, processing power, and cooling systems to software upgrades and carbon offset schemes. Juggle power consumption, hardware demands, and global environmental impacts as you scale up.

Story-Driven Campaign - Dive into a compelling 2-3 hour narrative campaign that reveals the mysterious story behind FACEMINER. Unlock additional modes like Endless Mode and Infinite Money Glitch Mode for unrestricted experimentation.

Original Soundtrack by Madwreck - Immerse yourself in a period-authentic soundtrack by Madwreck. Whether it’s atmospheric jungle beats or driving techno, the in-game audio player ensures you stay in the zone while building your click-and-mortar empire.

Dynamic Internal Messaging System - Uncover over 200 in-game messages to reveal office gossip, backstory, and the secrets of the FACEMINER project.

Player-Driven Choices - Will you prioritize eco-friendly solutions or maximize profits at any cost? Build your own surveillance network, or rely on third-party brokers. Your choices shape your empire’s rise—and its ultimate destiny.

Rich 90s Interface - Experience the nostalgia of a meticulously crafted retro operating system. Monitor your progress through the Visualiser 3D view and track your influence with a global surveillance map.

With AI (and specifically AI generation) being a hot topic right now, it seems like quite a fitting game for the times. The developers filled out their AI disclosure on Steam too, which makes it clear it's all quite on-point for the theme of the game. They only use AI for a very specific feature, which seems to fit in well with the overall subject of the game itself:

FACEMINER is a concept-driven game that directly engages with the ethics of AI. For thematic purposes, the game features faces which have been generated by a GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) trained on the FFHQ dataset, a research dataset released by NVIDIA that is the backbone of many real-world facial recognition applications. Per NVIDIA, only images under permissive licenses were collected.

The 'AI training' in this game is fictional and has been simulated for entertainment purposes. The game can be interpreted as a critique of AI specifically relating to the ecological impact of mass data hoarding, surveillance concerns, and way it is used to compound corporate power.

The developer, Wristwork, is an independent studio committed to crafting experimental, short form interactive media and games. This is their first commercial game.