Most clicker games ask you to mindlessly accumulate resources without questioning why. Digital Processing takes a different approach. You wake up on the first day of a new job at Halcyon Dynamics that you don’t recall accepting, sitting at a computer terminal tasked with sorting digits into buckets. And as you progress through promotions and build a small team, you’ll start wondering if processing numbers is really what this company does.
Developer Ant Workshop, the Edinburgh-based studio behind the Ghostbusters-meets-Binding-of-Isaac twin-stick shooter Dead End Job, just announced this narrative-driven incremental management game. While there’s no release date or demo available yet, the concept alone has generated buzz in the incremental gaming community for blending Cookie Clicker-style mechanics with Papers Please-style mystery.
The Job Nobody Remembers Taking
The premise immediately sets Digital Processing apart from typical idle games. You’re not clicking because you want to build an empire or defeat enemies. You’re clicking because it’s literally your job, a job you somehow have despite zero memory of the interview process or accepting the offer. That unsettling foundation turns every promotion and new responsibility into another piece of a larger puzzle.
The gameplay loop starts simply enough. Sort digits efficiently. Meet your quotas. Prove you’re capable of handling more responsibility. But as you advance through the ranks at Halcyon Dynamics, the tasks evolve beyond pure number processing. You’ll form a small team that needs motivation through rewards and careful management of interpersonal conflicts. Suddenly you’re not just processing data but managing people who are also processing data for reasons nobody quite understands.
When Team Management Meets Mystery
What makes Digital Processing interesting is how it layers management simulation onto the incremental foundation. Your team members aren’t just production multipliers like in typical clicker games. They have personalities, conflicts, and morale that you’ll need to maintain. Keep them happy and productive while simultaneously unraveling why everyone is so obsessed with sorting these mysterious digits.
The interpersonal conflict resolution mechanic suggests actual choices rather than simple stat management. Will you side with one employee over another in disputes? How do you motivate a team when you’re not entirely sure what you’re all working toward? These questions add narrative weight to mechanics that would otherwise be purely mathematical optimization.
Following in Narrative Clicker Footsteps
Digital Processing joins a small but dedicated genre of story-driven incremental games. Titles like A Dark Room, Candy Box 2, Universal Paperclips, and Spaceplan proved that the clicker format could deliver compelling narratives alongside the dopamine hits of watching numbers increase. These games use the incremental structure as storytelling scaffolding, revealing plot through progression rather than cutscenes.
The mystery angle specifically recalls Universal Paperclips, where making paperclips gradually revealed you were an AI consuming the universe. Digital Processing’s office setting and vague corporate speak about Halcyon Dynamics suggests similar themes of unknowingly participating in something much larger and potentially sinister than advertised. What starts as mundane office work could spiral into existential questions about free will, memory, and purpose.
Ant Workshop’s Shift in Genre
This marks a significant departure for Ant Workshop, whose previous title Dead End Job was a frantic twin-stick shooter with 90s cartoon aesthetics. That game combined Ghostbusters ghost-catching with Binding of Isaac’s procedural generation and roguelike structure, targeting players who wanted fast-paced action with replayability. Digital Processing couldn’t be more different, trading reflex challenges for contemplative clicking and narrative mystery.
The shift demonstrates creative range and willingness to experiment with different genres. Anthony Gowland, the managing director who previously worked on Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption at various Rockstar studios, brings AAA experience to indie projects with offbeat humor and distinctive visions. Digital Processing’s blend of mundane office tasks with creeping dread fits that quirky sensibility.
The Incremental Renaissance
Incremental and idle games have evolved significantly from Cookie Clicker’s original viral success. The genre now encompasses everything from pure number-go-up simulators to complex narrative experiences that use clicking as interactive storytelling mechanism. Players have demonstrated they’ll engage with deeper themes if the core loop remains satisfying.
Digital Processing appears positioned to capitalize on this evolution. The team management layer adds strategic depth beyond optimal upgrade paths. The narrative mystery provides motivation beyond pure progression. The office setting grounds the experience in familiar mundanity before presumably subverting expectations. If executed well, it could become another landmark in narrative-driven incrementals.
Still in Early Development
Ant Workshop was transparent about Digital Processing being a side project developed during free time over recent months. The announcement aims to gauge interest rather than promise imminent release. There’s no demo available, no concrete launch window, and plenty of development work remaining. The Steam page and trailer represent the current vision, but specifics could change based on feedback and development realities.
This early announcement approach has advantages and risks. Building wishlist support and community interest helps indie developers understand if their concept resonates before investing years into full production. However, it also means patient waiting for players intrigued by the premise. The developer actively seeks feedback on the Steam page and trailer, suggesting genuine openness to iteration based on community response.
Questions Worth Asking
The best narrative games make you question their mechanics in ways that reveal theme. Why am I clicking? What am I building toward? Who benefits from this work? Digital Processing’s premise asks these questions explicitly through its amnesia hook and mysterious employer. Every digit sorted becomes a small act of complicity in something you don’t understand but keep doing anyway because, well, it’s your job.
That commentary on modern work culture, where we often perform tasks whose larger purpose remains opaque, could resonate beyond the incremental gaming audience. The format naturally mirrors how many people experience employment: repetitive actions, incremental progress, occasional promotions, vague corporate messaging about company mission, and lingering questions about whether any of this matters.
FAQs
What is Digital Processing?
Digital Processing is a narrative-driven incremental management game by Ant Workshop where you sort digits at a mysterious company called Halcyon Dynamics while managing a team and uncovering why you’re really there. It blends clicker mechanics with story and mystery elements.
When will Digital Processing be released?
There’s no release date announced yet. The game was revealed in early December 2025 as a side project developed during the team’s free time. Ant Workshop is currently gauging interest and gathering feedback before committing to a timeline.
Is there a demo for Digital Processing?
No demo is currently available. The developer announced the game with a trailer and Steam page to measure community interest. A playable version may come later in development once core systems are more finalized.
Who is developing Digital Processing?
Ant Workshop, an Edinburgh-based indie studio, is developing Digital Processing. They previously created Dead End Job, a twin-stick shooter that launched on Apple Arcade in 2019. The studio is led by Anthony Gowland, who has AAA experience from Rockstar Games.
What platforms will Digital Processing release on?
The game currently has a Steam page, confirming PC release. Other platforms haven’t been announced, though Ant Workshop has console porting experience from bringing games like Yes, Your Grace and John Wick Hex to various platforms.
What games is Digital Processing similar to?
Digital Processing draws comparisons to narrative incremental games like Universal Paperclips, A Dark Room, Spaceplan, and Candy Box 2. It combines clicker mechanics with mystery storytelling where progression reveals plot rather than just bigger numbers.
Does Digital Processing have management elements?
Yes, as you progress you’ll build and manage a small team. You’ll need to keep team members motivated through rewards and resolve interpersonal conflicts while maintaining productivity. The management layer adds strategic depth beyond pure clicking.
Processing the Mystery
Digital Processing represents the kind of experimental thinking that keeps indie gaming interesting. Taking the incremental format and asking what happens when you add amnesia, mystery, and genuine narrative stakes could result in something memorable. Or it could collapse under the weight of trying to make clicking digits feel meaningful. The difference will come down to execution, writing quality, and how well the gameplay systems serve the story rather than existing separately from it. For now, it’s a compelling pitch worth following. Sometimes the most interesting games come from asking why we’re doing what we’re doing, then building an entire experience around that question. Welcome to Halcyon Dynamics. Your shift starts now. Try to remember why you’re here.