Bust Blockers

Bust Blockers used to be a titan.  A behemoth. The world’s biggest chain of video rental stores.

Everyone used to shop there. No Friday night was complete without a trip to Bust Blockers to rent a movie, be it a comedy to watch with your family or an R-18 horror movie with which to impress your friends.

Bust Blockers was everywhere. In every city, town, and suburb, they were a fixture.

But, even titans have to fall. The world has changed. Who was going to go rent a sticky VHS in a damaged case when every movie in the world is now at your fingertips? $9.99 for 3 nights can't compete with thousands of movies for $9.99 per month. 

Bust Blockers didn't go quietly. It tried to keep going, even if it wasn't sure how to do it. The board of directors kept trying things, flailing wildly, hoping that something would generate profit.

Nothing did.

Stores closed their doors as the revenue dried up. Eventually, there was just one store left: yours.

Your small Alaskan town isn't famous for anything, but overnight it became a viral sensation... the last holdout of a brand that holds a lot of special memories for a lot of people.

Bust Blockers casts you as the (unofficial) manager of this store. With the complete dissolution of the company looming on the horizon, you start a blog talking about the store's history as well as its current state. 

The odds are against you. But if you play your cards right, you might just be able to keep this local landmark afloat and channel your new-found viral fame into something useful. 

Based on the "Wretched And Alone" system, Bust Blockers is a game about community history, shared memories, and corporate existence. 

Using a deck of cards and a falling block tower, you'll weave a bittersweet story about your store and the town in which it exists. Day after day, you try to clear the insurmountable obstacle of keeping the store open, turning it into a place of both nostalgic kitsch and community good.