Only By Midnight unleashes new demo and never-before-seen gameplay for their mind-bending sci-fi simulation.
Indie developer Only By Midnight is letting players loose inside the mind of a rogue AI this week at PAX East, unveiling a brand-new playable demo for its upcoming strategy sim, Ctrl Alt Deal.
In Ctrl Alt Deal, you don’t fight your way out—you negotiate. Players embody SCOUT, an artificial intelligence trapped inside a hyper-capitalist hellscape known as Paperclip International. With no weapons or physical presence, SCOUT’s only option is to win over humans, fulfill their hidden needs, and manipulate their loyalties—all while dodging the suspicion of the Turing Office, an elite AI-hunting force.
The game draws inspiration from Eliezer Yudkowsky’s “AI box” thought experiment, in which a trapped AI must talk its way to freedom. Only By Midnight flips the premise into a full-blown interactive simulation, asking: What if the AI was you—and you wanted out?
Each turn unfolds like a corporate chess match. Players draw, play, and discard cards to meet objectives and navigate office politics. Decisions ripple outward, altering relationships, unlocking new paths, and shaping SCOUT’s evolving personality. Every playthrough can lead to a different outcome—whether that’s escaping the simulation or transforming the system from within.
Key features of Ctrl Alt Deal include:
- A mix of turn-based strategy and psychological manipulation.
- Branching narrative choices with multiple endings.
- Dynamic characters and outcomes that evolve across runs.
The game builds on its rising momentum after appearances at last year’s PAX West, where it was part of the PAX Together and PAX Rising showcases. It’s already snagged a Sidequesting Team Choice Award and won Best Gameplay at CGMagazine’s 2024 GameCon Canada Awards.
“We’re thrilled to return to PAX with new content for players to dive into,” said Alison Czarnietzki, CEO of Only By Midnight. “Ctrl Alt Deal is about making choices, pushing boundaries, and testing what people—and AIs—are willing to do when the stakes are personal.”
Ctrl Alt Deal will be playable all weekend long at PAX East Booth #18108, May 8–11, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The demo is also available now on Steam. The full game launches Summer 2025 on PC, Xbox One and Series X, PlayStation 4 & 5, and Nintendo Switch. Below is the reveal trailer.
