Key Takeaways
1. Game Concept: Iron Lung is a horror simulation game set in a dark future where players control a convict navigating a vast ocean of human blood inside a submarine.
2. Setting: The game takes place after the “Quiet Rapture,” a mysterious event that left humanity searching for new homes in space, leading to the discovery of the barren moon AT-5.
3. Player Experience: The convict’s mission is to scout living conditions for humanity’s survival, with gameplay limited to the sub’s small space and communication through a radio.
4. Critical Acclaim: Upon release in 2022, Iron Lung received positive reviews for its narrative, atmosphere, and sound design, gaining popularity among gamers and streamers.
5. Film Adaptation: YouTuber Markiplier was inspired by the game to create a film adaptation, which grossed approximately $21.5 million in its opening weekend with a budget of $3 million.
Iron Lung is a horror simulation game made by David Szymanski and launched in 2022. In this eerie game, players take on the role of a nameless prisoner who is chosen as a test subject to navigate a massive ocean of blood on a foreign moon, inside a dilapidated submarine called the Iron Lung.
A Distant Future
The setting is a dark and far-off future where humans have expanded into space after a strange event known as the “Quiet Rapture,” which caused all stars and livable planets to disappear, leaving only those in space stations or ships. To ensure the survival of humanity, the remnants send out teams to find a new home and stumble upon AT-5, a barren moon. Upon further investigation, they discover a vast ocean on this forsaken moon, but it is not water—it is an ocean of human blood.
The Convict’s Mission
The one chosen to investigate living conditions is a convict, sent to delve into the dark, bloody depths. The game occurs within this tiny craft, which is essentially an early version of an experiment that uses an expendable life form. In return for completing this scouting mission, the convict is promised freedom. The sub is mostly sealed off from the outside; players can see through a secured window, and using a camera that mostly captures unclear images, their only means of communication is via radio.
Acclaimed Success
Upon its release, the game became a massive success, lauded for its narrative and overall atmosphere, particularly its sound design, with enthusiastic reviews from fans, including renowned YouTuber Mark ‘Markiplier’ Fischbach. He was so impressed with the game that he chose to turn it into a film, which he would finance, produce, direct, and act in. With an estimated budget of $3 million, the film has had an amazing start at the box office, earning around $21.5 million worldwide in just one weekend.
Markiplier and Szymanski were both deeply moved by this success. In a conversation with Variety, the streamer was emotional as he revealed his intentions to reward the film crew, stating, “I’m going to be able to give the crew a big bonus. That’s awesome. I’m not a big studio. So the split with the theaters is basically 50-50. It’s really cool because everybody wins.”
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