Hello there, inmates!
It’s time for our eleventh dev blog, and this one is special for two reasons. First—International Women’s Day is just around the corner, and second—we’re kicking off a special sale for our game Space Prison to celebrate! Today, we won’t be focusing solely on combat or weaponry. Instead, we’d like to shine a light on our philosophy of equality and diversity in the galactic world, as well as share a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works within our Wooden Alien team.
From the Start: Zero Discrimination
From our earliest sketches of Space Prison, we knew we wouldn’t define our characters based on gender. In everyday life, we don’t discriminate against people because of their gender or sexual orientation—why would we do that in our game? The main differentiators among characters in Space Prison remain their cosmic race and their personality, not whether they’re male, female, or belong to any other gender identity. We initially wanted to introduce an even wider variety of gender identities and alien species, but the project grew so large that we couldn’t fit everything into our development schedule.
Women, Men, and… Beyond?
Pop culture works like Orange Is the New Black showcase the challenges women face in prison, as well as how strong they can become in such an environment. That series is primarily about women in prison—Space Prison, however, did not aim for the same themes. Our galactic prison focuses on survival among aliens and bizarre technologies, not on gender divisions. We knew from the start that we wanted women, men, and all sorts of alien life forms in our correctional facility. Everyone here plays an equally important role, and the only differences that matter are their personalities—and maybe some biological quirks if they’re from a species with extra tentacles.
Body and Identity
Our unique body-switching mechanic in Space Prison lets you assume the form of a different gender—or even a different alien species. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter storylines dealing with personal identity: what if someone doesn’t feel comfortable in their original body? In certain quests, you’ll grapple with the consequences of crossing that line and switching to a completely different body. This serves as our metaphor for gender transition in the real world.
Moreover, Space Prison celebrates freedom in matters of affection and relationships. Romantic bonds between characters of the same gender are common in our cosmic setting—because after all, who’s going to be shocked by that when you’re surrounded by three-eyed aliens and mechanical cyborgs?
Equality in the Wooden Alien Team
Before we dive back into the depths of interstellar cells, we want to shed some light on our everyday reality. At Wooden Alien, we don’t hire people based on gender or stereotypes. We value skills, creativity, and a willingness to work in a tight-knit team. Over the last year, our team makeup has been nearly balanced—50% men and 50% women. One of our co-founders and our Art Director is Barbara Wiszyńska-Kubit, whose visionary art concepts shape the unique atmosphere of Space Prison and bring depth and character to our ideas.
Women’s Day and a Galactic Sale
In honor of Women’s Day, we’re launching a special sale with a 40% discount. If you haven’t yet had the chance to explore our cosmic prison adventures, now is the perfect time to jump in. Enjoy discovering all the secrets of Space Prison, and have a fantastic Women’s Day—no matter whether you’re on Earth or somewhere far, far away!
Thank you for your support, and don’t miss out on the sale—or you might find yourself in solitary confinement for a week!
See you behind bars!
The Wooden Alien Team