Spanish independent studio Palitroque has released Dystopicon, a satirical dystopian time-management life sim, on Steam. The game is set in a retro-futuristic society where robots have replaced humans in the workplace, leaving citizens to find other ways to earn a living.
Dystopicon is priced at €7.99/$7.99 and is available with a 15% launch discount during its first two weeks.
In Dystopicon, players take the role of a Class-2 citizen who receives a government-provided home and an unusual new occupation: watching television. The character earns a salary by staying in front of the screen, with that money then used to purchase services needed to survive and remain entertained.
The game uses this unusual premise to explore a controlled society in which following the rules is not necessarily the only way forward. Players can choose to become loyal citizens or challenge the system, with their decisions affecting how the story develops.
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A Dystopian Life Sim Built Around Time Management
Dystopicon begins with the player living in a room supplied by the government as a Second-Class Citizen. From there, the story progresses through six scenarios, including a secret scenario, with each introducing new mechanics, situations and information about the game's dystopian world.
Players can attempt to improve their status and become a Party Citizen, while other choices can lead them toward a re-education camp. The changing circumstances are designed to encourage different approaches as the player learns more about the society surrounding them.
The central question is whether players can discover what exists beyond the four walls of their government-provided home.
The game also includes a Challenge Mode, which removes some of the distractions found in the main story. Its objective is straightforward: players must save enough money to leave their room. Without the daily news and other story elements, the mode focuses more directly on managing resources and reaching the goal.
14 Possible Endings
Player decisions can lead to 14 different endings in Dystopicon. The game allows players to follow the rules or rebel against the system, with different choices producing different outcomes.
Players can become state bureaucrats, attempt to manipulate the system through hacking, or become involved in more serious acts of rebellion. Following government instructions can produce a different path from attempting to deceive or undermine the system.
The game also leaves room for less predictable outcomes, including the possibility of winning the lottery.
The multiple endings give players a reason to revisit the scenarios and experiment with different decisions and strategies.
From an Itch.io Prototype to a Steam Release
Dystopicon began in 2018 as a small project created by Juan Felipe Molina. The original prototype was released on Itch.io and was built using third-party assets from the Unity Asset Store.
Over roughly 12 months, Molina expanded the game's story and gameplay systems while testing different ideas. The prototype eventually reached around 12,000 downloads and received positive feedback from players.
However, Molina did not initially have the time to develop the project professionally. That changed in November 2025, when he left his job to focus on preparing Dystopicon for a commercial release on Steam.
The game's central concept was influenced by classic dystopian fiction, particularly the work of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick. Molina has cited Ubik as an influence, pointing to its depiction of characters having to pay to use everyday household devices.
That idea contributed to Dystopicon's economy, while the developer's interest in television and social media helped shape its main gameplay mechanic. Instead of simply consuming media, the game's protagonist is paid for doing so.
The original prototype eventually developed into a 28-day gameplay loop in which players had to survive by watching television and reading daily government reports.
The game's development also coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when large numbers of people were confined to their homes and spent more time using screens. According to Molina, the circumstances provided an unexpected parallel to some of the ideas already present in Dystopicon.
A New Visual Identity
While the game's core mechanics and story had already been tested through the prototype, Molina felt the original 3D models lacked personality. Xenia Almela was subsequently brought on as the game's 3D artist and helped establish the visual identity of the final version.
Mario Alba, a 2D artist who had previously created comics for the original project, also returned to produce additional artwork for the commercial release.
The result is the version of Dystopicon now available on Steam, combining its time-management systems with a retro-futuristic setting and satirical take on life under an increasingly automated society.
Dystopicon is now available on Steam for €7.99/$7.99, with a 15% discount available during its first two weeks. Review codes are also available for media and content creators.
