A solo developer just released something genuinely brave: a platformer about minimum wage workers trapped on a corporate-owned island, complete with realistic UK tax rates and living expenses. DIGGERGUN, developed entirely by one person named Kabloop and published by Grab The Games, launched on November 6, 2025 on Steam. This isn’t a game that hides its message. It’s about corporate exploitation, worker struggles, environmental damage, and what happens when ordinary people realize they might have to push back. The monochrome aesthetic, oppressive atmosphere, and mechanical systems all serve the game’s singular purpose: making players feel what it’s like to be trapped in a rigged system.
Trapped on Bal Island: The Setup
DIGGERGUN drops you on Bal Island, a blustery place where Cornwall Mining Corp has set up operations. You’re trapped here, forced to work extracting lithium for the corporation. Your goal is simple but brutal: earn £3,000 to escape. The problem is that earning that money while simply surviving is mathematically demanding. You need to manage food costs, rent, energy levels, and all the other expenses that real workers deal with constantly. The numbers reflect actual UK living costs and taxation rates, making the financial pressure genuinely realistic rather than arbitrary.
This setup is immediately Kafkaesque. You’re not a hero on a quest. You’re a person trying to pay rent in a place designed to extract your labor. The environment itself feels oppressive—monochrome visuals, relentless weather, corporate machinery everywhere. The island doesn’t feel like a game level. It feels like a place designed to wear you down until you give up.
Platforming as Survival: The Mechanics
DIGGERGUN combines traditional platforming gameplay with life simulation mechanics in ways that serve each other. You platform through mines gathering lithium. You sell lithium for money. That money pays for food and rent. But platforming costs energy. Energy requires food. Food costs money. You’re caught in a mechanical loop that mirrors real economic pressure. The platforming isn’t just gameplay. It’s work. Literal labor that leaves you exhausted.
A distinctive energy system tracks your physical and mental state. Complete a difficult mine and you’re drained. But you need money, so you push through anyway. As you accumulate fatigue, your performance degrades. You start missing jumps. Your concentration falters. The game physically punishes you for overworking, creating a system where pushing yourself too hard actually makes earning money harder. It’s genius mechanical design that forces players to experience worker burnout.
Day-Night Cycles That Don’t Care About Your Progress
DIGGERGUN features a rigid day-night system. Mines are only accessible during the day. At night, you must return to your lodgings. You can’t simply mine for hours to make quick money. The calendar doesn’t bend to your will. Time marches forward regardless of your progress. Some days you’ll have enough energy to work. Other days you’ll wake up too exhausted. Some weeks you’ll barely scrape by. Other weeks you’ll fall short of rent entirely.
This creates the game’s core tension: time pressure without direct combat or action sequences. You’re not running from enemies. You’re racing against time itself, against a financial system designed to make survival difficult, against your own physical limitations. Every in-game day matters. Every missed opportunity to work hurts. The day-night cycle forces strategic thinking about when to work and when to rest, knowing that rest time is lost money.
Procedural Mines Keep Repetition Fresh
To prevent the mining loop from becoming stale, DIGGERGUN features randomly generated mines alongside meticulously crafted levels. Each mine presents different platforming challenges, enemy encounters, and layouts. You can’t memorize optimal routes. Every workday feels slightly different, which maintains engagement while reinforcing the game’s message about the monotony and variety of actual labor.
The game also includes multiple story arcs and various endings determined by your choices. You can attempt to escape through the front door, work your way to freedom, or perhaps find a way to push back against the system itself. Your interactions with other characters, your spending choices, and your ethical approach all influence which ending you receive. This narrative flexibility ensures replays feel distinct rather than repetitive.
One Developer’s Personal Statement
What makes DIGGERGUN remarkable is that it’s entirely created by one person. Kabloop developed, programmed, designed, and refined every element of this game. In interviews, the developer noted that DIGGERGUN emerged from personal experiences with corporate exploitation and worker struggles. The game isn’t cynical or preachy. It’s earnest. Kabloop is processing genuine trauma and unfair treatment through game design, turning personal pain into mechanical experience players can understand viscerally.
This authenticity resonates. Players aren’t experiencing a designer’s abstract idea about worker struggles. They’re experiencing something filtered through actual lived experience. The economic systems work because they’re based on real numbers. The exhaustion feels real because it mirrors actual worker burnout. The oppression isn’t exaggerated for effect. It’s just… accurate.
Demo Reception and Launch Response
DIGGERGUN released a demo during Steam Next Fest in October 2025. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Players appreciated the game’s willingness to tackle difficult subject matter through mechanics rather than cutscenes. The demo provided a 1-2 hour experience sufficient to understand the core loop and tone. Fans responded with enthusiasm, with many immediately wishlisting the full game.
The November 6, 2025 launch delivered on that promise. Early reviews praise DIGGERGUN for its mechanical integrity, thematic consistency, and courage in making players uncomfortable. The game doesn’t try to be fun in traditional ways. It tries to be truthful, which is far more valuable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DIGGERGUN?
DIGGERGUN is a platformer and life simulation game about a worker trapped on an island owned by a mining corporation. You must earn £3,000 to escape while managing realistic living expenses, energy levels, and a rigid day-night cycle. The game explores worker exploitation and resistance themes.
When did DIGGERGUN release?
DIGGERGUN officially released on November 6, 2025 on Steam for Windows PC. The game was in development for several years before launch.
How much does DIGGERGUN cost?
Exact pricing hasn’t been prominently featured, but indie platformers typically range $15-25. Check the Steam page for current pricing.
Who developed DIGGERGUN?
DIGGERGUN was developed entirely by Kabloop, a solo indie developer. The game was published by Grab The Games.
Is there a demo I can play?
Yes. A demo was released during Steam Next Fest October 2025 and is still available on the Steam store page. The demo provides 1-2 hours of gameplay.
What are the main mechanics?
DIGGERGUN combines platforming through mines with life simulation. You collect lithium, sell it for money, use that money to pay rent and buy food, and manage energy levels. A day-night cycle restricts when you can work.
Does the game use realistic economics?
Yes. Wages, rent, food prices, and taxation are based on actual UK rates. The financial system reflects real living costs, making the economic pressure genuine.
How many hours of gameplay is there?
Complete playtime depends on your approach and difficulty. Expect 5-10+ hours for a full campaign, with multiple endings encouraging replays.
Are there multiple endings?
Yes. Your interactions with characters, spending choices, and ethical decisions determine which of several endings you receive. Story arcs branch based on your approach.
What platforms is DIGGERGUN available on?
Currently, DIGGERGUN is only available on Steam for Windows PC. Console releases haven’t been announced.
Conclusion
DIGGERGUN is exactly the kind of game that reminds us why games matter as an artistic medium. A solo developer transformed personal trauma into mechanical experience, creating something that makes players genuinely uncomfortable while never feeling unfair. The platforming is solid. The systems are smart. The narrative is compelling. But what makes DIGGERGUN special is its unwavering commitment to its message. This isn’t a game that apologizes for being political. It’s a game that wears its politics as its entire identity. It’s about worker exploitation, corporate callousness, environmental destruction, and human resilience. It’s harsh. It’s heartfelt. It’s exactly what Kabloop intended. If you want a platformer that challenges you mechanically and philosophically, DIGGERGUN just launched on Steam. Strap in for a difficult, meaningful experience about what it means to be trapped in a system designed to exploit you.