Hello, my fellow tech-loving friends! Today, I want to talk to you about the rise of the audio-only video game. Not all video games need video. In fact, over the years, games that exist solely in audio form have taken players on incredible journeys into new worlds where there is nothing to see, but still plenty to experience.

These audio games have tremendous accessibility implications, allowing players who are visually impaired to enjoy an equally fun and immersive gaming experience using their other senses. When sound is your primary tool, the possibilities for creating a truly engaging game are endless.

On this episode of The Vergecast, we delve into the history of audio-only games with Paul Bennun, a pioneer in this field. Bennun and his team at Somethin’ Else created the groundbreaking Papa Sangre series, which pushed the boundaries of audio gaming. He shares insights on what makes an audio game successful, why the iPhone 4 was a game-changer for these games, and more.

Bennun also makes a compelling argument that now, amidst our visually-driven era, is the perfect time for a resurgence of audio games. With advancements in spatial audio technology like AirPods and other headphones, devices such as the Vision Pro, enhanced location tracking capabilities, and improvements in multiplayer gaming, he believes that audio-first games could be a major hit today. Could he be hinting at a new game in development? We’ll have to wait and see.

If you’re intrigued by the topics we’ve discussed in this episode, here are some links to further explore the world of audio-only gaming: Gaming in darkness: Papa Sangre II is a terrifying world made entirely of sound; Blind games: the next battleground in accessibility (from Polygon); Six of the best audio-only (and audio-first) video games (from Audiomob); Blind Drive; Feer; The Papa Sangre II trailer; The Audio Defence trailer. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!