A new political Party has won a landslide in the General Election, and for some reason the editor at the news station you work at has done a runner. Now it’s up to you, the Janitor, to take over the editing booth in this tumultuous time - will you help the government, or stand in their way?
The election results are in, a new party teetering on the edge of totalitarianism has just seized power, and the editor of the National Nightly News has just walked out. The result? You, the janitor, are suddenly thrust into the control room of a national live broadcast. Welcome to Not For Broadcast, the game that hands you the absolute power to shape the truth.
Developed by NotGames and published by tinyBuild, Not For Broadcast is a breathless interactive film blending sharp political satire, real-time TV production gameplay and narrative choices with far-reaching consequences. Each night you manage cameras, cut at the right moment, bleep profanities just in time and choose which adverts to air. Above all, you decide which version of events the country will see. Will you back this new government as it slides toward dystopia? Or will you throw a spanner in the works from your control room?
We loved: The broadcast control mechanic, as stressful as it is addictive. Managing four simultaneous camera feeds in real time, anticipating guest outbursts, cutting away from inappropriate content before it goes out and bleeping insults to the millisecond: the gameplay is brilliantly calibrated to create constant tension from session to session. No other game so faithfully recreates the pressure of a live television broadcast.
We liked: The FMV (Full Motion Video) storytelling, of genuinely cinematic quality. The actors are excellent, the scripts well-written and the tone — satirical, sometimes absurd, often unsettling — recalls the best British political drama. The escalating moral dilemmas the game imposes on you (should you censor this statement embarrassing to the government? should you air this rival party's advert?) give the experience a genuine ethical dimension.
Our highlight: The real impact of your decisions on your family's life and on the game's fictional society. Not For Broadcast is not content to make you a cog in the editing machine: your editorial choices have repercussions on the country's political trajectory, on your colleagues, on your loved ones. No game has ever made us think harder about media responsibility.
Our tip to help you: Always keep an eye on your family's morale gauge at the bottom of the screen and on the government's popularity counter. These are your two main barometers. Do not try to be perfect from the start: uncensored swear words and bad camera cuts cost points, but it is your long-term editorial decisions that ultimately shape the game's ending. Play in line with your values, not just for the score.
Who is this game for?
Not For Broadcast is strictly for players aged 18 and over, not only for its mature content (political violence, manipulation, heavy social themes) but also for the depth of its satire. Fans of political dramas, Black Mirror or demanding narrative games will be captivated. With 12 hours of content and solid replayability thanks to numerous possible endings, it is a dense and unforgettable experience.
