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Team9's 'Word Game' Receives Prestigious iF Design Award

By Cecil Gao
May. 18, 2023 updated 09:00

Indie game developer group Team9 has made history by becoming the first-ever recipient of the iF Design Award for the brand design of their game “Word Game”. The award ceremony was held on May 15, 2023, where Team9 received the Product and Service Branding Award for their exceptional product and service identity design.

Released in 2022, Word Game is a unique puzzle game that uses text as its only medium. Players take control of the protagonist "Wo", meaning “I” in Chinese, and embark on a journey of deciphering puzzles and finding clues hidden within the text.

All the graphics in the game are presented with Chinese characters.All the graphics in the game are presented with Chinese characters.

Using the innovative game design, players must manipulate the text to change its meaning, erase words, and rewrite sentences to progress through the game.

"I woke up in a pitch-black room with no way out. If only there were a door." Despite the clear narration within the game indicating that there is no door, as a text-based game, you can still boldly step through the Chinese character "door" within the screen and make a stylish exit.

According to Team9, Word Game not only stands out as the first pure Chinese character-based RPG puzzle game, but it also showcases a brand that has made its way into everyday life. The team has developed various peripheral products around the game that feature "text" as their main design element.

These products aim to offer a refreshing and playful experience to users, such as the "beep!" EasyCard (electronic payment card) and the "pop!" bottle opener that flips the user's auditory and visual experience. The team has also designed a physical "key" that functions as both a real-world and virtual-world access key with multiple layers of meaning.

Zhang Wen-wei, the producer of Word Game, expressed gratitude towards the judges for their recognition and support. He also stated that Team9 has always been committed to creating engaging and unique works that break the boundaries between reality and virtuality. The team hopes to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity in the future and create more playful works.

Aside from the awards, Word Game has also collaborated with UNIQLO and displayed its complete range of peripheral products in the flagship store in Taipei, expanding its reach to a wider audience.