Devolution is exploring and dissecting the creative process of game development, encountering new characteristics with every new edition. Each Devolution event / exhibition focuses on the evolution of a game through the exhibition of prototypes and interim versions and an in-depth conversation with the developers.

Looking at games and game development from the perspective of Devolution lets you discover new and inspiring aspects of how games are growing into shape. In contrast to the usual reception of the results, Devolution reveals the whole road up to them.

“Games develop in a way that I can only describe as organic, in that they tend to start as a core and then grow outward.”

– David Oreilly (Everything, Mountain)

Historically physical exhibitions of several in-between versions of a game (The Curious Expedition, Shift Happens, Thumper, SUPERHOT, Ape Out, Hidden Folks, Kingdom) and a summit (Game Design as Gardening). Since 2020 – with the exhibition of Baba Is You & Dicey Dungeons – turning into hybrid, or even: total digital.

Devolution #7 was (at A MAZE. / Berlin 2023) – and with this online space still is – about dissecting and exploring the evolution of Lonely Mountains: Downhill.

This online exhibition is available for permanent viewing, offering visitors an opportunity to explore an interactive timeline of the game’s evolution, downloadable and playable early prototypes and in-between versions of the game.

The exhibition works as a unique archive for…

• Researchers to discover new aspects of how games are growing
• Game designers & developers interested to learn and to be inspired
• Tutors and lecturers searching for inspiring use cases
• Just everybody interested in games and game development