Eddo Stern / 2007 / USA

“Darkgame” is an experiment that uses sensory deprivation to expand gaming experiences beyond the familiar. The game’s two opposing players must maneuver their avatars around a two-dimen- sional plane. One player is completely “blind,” unable to view the interface, and must rely only on non-visual cues – in particular, the sound and the vibrations of the headset, which is programmed to respond to the location of the second player. The second player, while able to see, will suffer a dra- matic loss of vision if hit – grey patches expand to obscure his field of play. Stern describes the work as a form of empirical role-play, one dependent on real life skills, where the blind could play against the sighted and blindness would be an advantage. “Darkgame,” with its evocative title and sinister looking apparatus, also reflects upon the use of sensory deprivation as a means of manipulation and control