Not For Broadcast

The game is set in an alternate version of the United Kingdom during the 1980s. The player character is Alex Winston, who works at the nation's largest television broadcaster, Channel One, specifically for the National Nightly News. Formerly a janitor, Alex is made broadcast engineer when their predecessor, Dave, flees the country and Alex is forced to edit the election night broadcast in his place.

The story begins with the far-left progressive political party Advance winning an unexpected landslide victory. Advance implements a number of radical reforms, such as wealth redistribution, right to die policies and nationalisation of several large corporations. As time goes on, Advance becomes increasingly authoritarian in their governance, including limiting the freedom of the press and requesting censorship of anti-government statements. Additionally, the World Council, a United Nations-analogue, places harsh sanctions on the country, causing economic troubles. The resistance group Disrupt forms to counteract Advance's agenda.[7]

Growing fed up with the increase in soft news stories, co-anchor Jeremy Donaldson snaps live on-air and holds the studio hostage at gunpoint. Depending on the player's response, Jeremy ends up committing suicide, is shot dead by police, or is arrested. Advance retaliates against the World Council by detonating nuclear explosives in four cities on the continent, threatening to detonate more devices if the countries do not unconditionally surrender. A year and a half later, Disrupt spokesperson Alan James asks Alex to manipulate the broadcast to start an uprising against the Advance government, however Advance are aware of the uprising and send in the military to defeat Disrupt; depending if Alex successfully manipulates the broadcast or not, Alan either successfully retreats or is killed.

There are four different final broadcasts depending on whether Jeremy and Alan are alive or deceased, leading to fourteen different epilogues depending on the player's political stance (pro-Advance, pro-Disrupt, or neutral) and their choice to play or not play a tape exposing Advance or Disrupt.

• Paul Baverstock as Jeremy Donaldson, the male co-anchor of the National Nightly News
• Andrea Valls as Megan Wolfe, the female co-anchor of the National Nightly News
• Sarah Gibbons as Jenny, the floor manager.
• Jade Johnson as Robyn Shorte, a reporter.
• George Vere as Patrick Bannon, a reporter. Vere also plays Patrick's father, televsion personality Graham Bannon, in the telethon episode.
• Emma Mulkern as Not Patrick/Francis, a reporter who substitutes for Patrick Bannon.
• Claire Racklyeft as Julia Salisbury, a lawyer turned Advance co-leader and Prime Minister.
• Roger Alborough as Peter Clement, a potty-mouthed television personality turned Advance co-leader and Prime Minister.
• Jonathan Hawkins as Alan James, a conspiracy theorist turned Disrupt spokesman.
• Dan Ellis as Geoff Algebra
• Adam Willis as Tommy Harris
• Helen Potter as Phillipa Rayden

Source: [8]

The first episode of Not For Broadcast was released in Early Access on 30 January 2020, with the developers stating their intention to keep it in early access for approximately eighteen months while updating four free new chapters.[9] Days before filming began for a second episode, the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom led to lockdowns which ceased all production. Instead of pausing production, the developers chose to create a bonus chapter titled Not For Broadcast: Lockdown, which contains a new storyline, with the cast being stuck at home "as they shelter from a rampaging horde of animatronic children's toys."[10][11] The chapter was released alongside a new challenge mode, featuring 4 different challenge variations.[12] Due to the lockdown delaying production on the game, the original plan to have 4 episodes was revised, and the story was rewritten to be told in three episodes instead. Finally, a year after the original release, on 28 January 2021 a second episode was released, which showcased impacts of certain decisions in previous chapters and was released together with an hour-long documentary titled "Not for Broadcast: Lights, Camera, Lockdown," about how the development team behind the game reveals how they managed to produce two video-filled updates of the game amidst a global pandemic.[13][14] After releasing Episode 2, the production was halted once again by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, which further delayed the release of Episode 3 until 25 January 2022.

Not For Broadcast received generally positive reviews from critics in early access. The game was complimented for its innovative concept and gameplay, including the satirical over-the-top content video segments and the production control room mechanics.[15][16] Criticism went to its "on-the-nose political commentary," with Cass Marshall writing for Polygon "[the game is] laying it on pretty thick."[17][18] On Steam, the game has "overwhelmingly positive" user reviews.[9]

According to Guinness World Records, the game has a record of the "Most Full Motion Video footage in a videogame", clocking in at 42 hours, 57 minutes, and 52 seconds.[19] This, in turn, was also covered positively by multiple media outlets.[20]

• Paterson, Alex (5 March 2020). "Writing, directing, and designing FMV censorship simulator Not for Broadcast". Gamasutra (Interview). Interviewed by Harris, John.