Serpentine Launches Interactive Online Game “I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT” to Explore Ethical Decision-Making

TITLE: Serpentine Launches Interactive Online Game "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" to Explore Ethical Decision-Making
SLUG: serpentine-online-game-ethics
EXCERPT: Artist Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley's new digital artwork transforms ethical judgment into a playable experience, prompting users to consider the societal implications of their choices.
CATEGORY: design-culture
TAGS: digital art, ethical design, interactive game, Serpentine, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, social commentary, technology in art
SEO_TITLE: Serpentine's New Online Game Makes Ethics Playable | Paionia7
SEO_DESCRIPTION: Explore "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT," an interactive online game by Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley launched by Serpentine, that turns ethical judgment into a playable act, prompting reflection on societal conditions.
MEDIA_QUERY: digital artwork, interactive game, ethical decision-making interface, online platform
IMAGE_ALT: Screenshot of the online game "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" showing a door and a scrolling feed of text.

The Serpentine gallery has launched "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT," a new online game developed by artist and game designer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. This interactive artwork transmutes moral judgment into a playable act, inviting users to confront the consequences of their decisions within a digital space. The game, accessible via web and mobile, aims to make ethical considerations tangible and to encourage introspection about how individual judgments contribute to broader social conditions.

A Civic Chamber in the Browser

"I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" begins with a simple threshold—a door—that serves as the entry point into a charged environment of judgment. Players are presented with various characters, conspiracy agents, and "influencers," each with their own beliefs and requests to enter. The core mechanic requires the player to decide who gains entry and who remains outside, thereby shaping the nascent community within the game. This process is designed to reveal the player's own assumptions and biases, turning the act of playing into a form of self-study regarding their sense of justice.

The game extends Brathwaite-Shirley's previous work, "THE DELUSION," a multiplayer video game exhibited at Serpentine North from September 2025 to January 2026. That exhibition had transformed the gallery into a forum for discussing polarization, censorship, and social connection. By moving this discourse online, "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" aims to reach a wider audience, engaging players in the pressures and complexities of contemporary online debate from any location.

Artist's Practice and Motivations

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, a London and Berlin-based Black Trans artist, community archivist, and game designer, is known for creating work that actively engages audiences. Their artistic practice often necessitates participation, decision-making, and self-implication from viewers. In "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT," this participatory element becomes a critical tool for examining the habits and assumptions that underpin a player's perception of fairness and equity.

The narrative world of the game is rooted in Brathwaite-Shirley's graphic novel "Below the Blue Line," where negative online comments manifest as living entities. The game's premise explores a world where factions champion their own versions of truth, and marginalized language begins to influence policy and public discourse. Despite the potentially bleak setup, the game intentionally avoids succumbing to despair. Its radical approach lies in its encouragement for players to confront discomfort and engage with complex ethical dilemmas.

Visual and Structural Influences

The visual aesthetic of "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" draws inspiration from early 1990s video games, featuring labyrinthine environments and character designs reminiscent of that era. This retro style is juxtaposed with contemporary elements, such as a real-time scrolling feed that mimics the visual language of social media and populist political discourse. This feed, characterized by its blend of outrage, humor, fear, and certainty, adds a sense of urgency and pressure to the player's decision-making process. The combination of familiar gaming aesthetics and current digital communication methods makes the game accessible while consistently returning to its core question: what are the implications when every act of judgment becomes a designed component of a world?

Community and Open-Source Development

Developed in collaboration with the Beyond Code Collective, an organization focused on connecting learners with technological education, "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT" carries an additional layer of purpose. It serves not only as an artwork but also as a shareable tool for fostering critical thinking beyond the confines of a traditional gallery space. This aligns with Serpentine's ongoing commitment to art that engages with public platforms and extends the life and impact of artistic projects through accessibility, replayability, and exchange. The browser itself becomes a space for both artistic experience and civic rehearsal.

Furthermore, the game is conceived as an evolving, open-source artwork. Brathwaite-Shirley plans to incorporate new characters and conversations through workshops, focus groups, and community initiatives. This dynamic structure, which allows the game to grow and adapt through contact with diverse publics, is central to its meaning. The artist's archive, containing a wealth of materials including headlines, social media posts, testimonies from Black trans and queer communities, and autobiographical notes, provides the emotional depth and thematic range for the game. Satire, humor, and genuine harm coexist, with fictional scenarios serving to amplify existing questions within public life.

Key facts

• Game Title: I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT
• Developer: Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley
• Gallery: Serpentine North
• Platform: Web and Mobile
• Artistic Focus: Ethical decision-making, social conditions, digital culture

This project offers a unique lens for audiences interested in design culture and the intersection of technology and ethics. For those studying game design, digital art, or social commentary, it provides a case study in how interactive platforms can be used for critical engagement. It encourages a broader public to consider the power dynamics inherent in online interactions and the construction of digital communities, resonating with contemporary discussions about social media's influence and the formation of public opinion.

Source: Designboom – https://www.designboom.com/art/what-kind-world-actions-create-serpentine-online-game-ethics-danielle-brathwaite-shirley/