Journey Through a Century! German Studio Blue Backpack Captures the Spirits of Berlin, Wins Best Narrative at Indie Game Award 2026
The Berlin Apartment, developed by the German indie game studio Blue Backpack, utilizes a single building as a vessel, allowing players to travel across a century of time in a first-person perspective to witness the joys and sorrows of different historical periods. The title recently won the Best Narrative at Indie Game Award 2026, organized by Taipei Game Show. Florian Köhne, CEO of Blue Backpack, noted that the studio is a lovely, diverse team of 22 people. He and Game Director Hans Böhme both worked on the game’s narrative design since the company was still in its beginnings. As the studio's biggest project to date—bringing together 12 people over three and a half years—this award is very special to all the partners involved. The core concept of the game is the relatedness of human experiences through time. Entering the competition at the recommendation of their publishing partner PARCO GAMES, the team expressed that they are honored to win and hope that players across Asia will have the opportunity to experience this heartwarming story.
Blending Historical Research with Everyday Poetry: A Century-Old Apartment Becomes an Interactive Time Machine
Hans Böhme shared that the inspiration for The Berlin Apartment actually started in a real historic apartment in Berlin. While sitting there, he suddenly realized that these walls have probably seen so many people move in and out over a hundred years. He began to wonder what else might’ve happened there—whether a spy had ever lived there, if there was ever a birth in the room, or how the place looked in the aftermath of World War II. During that time, he was inspired by narrative masterpieces and his love for anthology films, leading to the birth of the idea for the game. He emphasized that each episode in the game is based on an intensive amount of research.
For instance, the story set in 1933 about a Jewish cinema owner was inspired by the real-life Hans Brodnitz. The dialogue and themes for the family in 1945 were loosely based on reports from contemporary witnesses about their daily struggles. Additionally, the 1989 storyline was based on a viral social media post from the pandemic in which neighbors connected via drone and shared a remote dinner date. To balance historical authenticity with gameplay design, the team often had to deliberate when designing characters and environments. Hans Böhme stated that the team wanted to tell touching stories within an entertainment product rather than create an interactive history lesson. Whenever they encountered cases that didn't seem typical for the era, the members brainstormed how to make them possible and integrated renovation elements as a narrative catalyst, ensuring the work remained grounded in reality while maintaining playability.
Immersive Scenes and Voice Acting Strike a Chord; Award Builds Confidence for Upcoming Ancient Greek Project
The team experienced many touching moments during development. Hans Böhme recalled playtesting the game on a train when a little girl in the opposite seat recognized the scene, whispering to her mother, "Our home is in the video game you’re playing." This instant convinced the team that they had hit the mark with how the game's version of Berlin looked and felt. Florian Köhne was particularly impressed by the voice recording sessions, noting that as the actors brought so much to the game, the characters truly came to life. Both emphasized that winning Best Narrative at Indie Game Award 2026 marks the first time the game’s narrative has been truly recognized, helping the partners build wonderful new connections in East Asia.
Looking ahead, Blue Backpack, which enjoys experimenting with different genres, has already moved on to its next adventures. The team is currently working on Oh Apollo!, a narrative game with light management mechanics set in ancient Greece. Furthermore, a yet-to-be-announced game involving a tiny planetary rover is also in the works. For the full video interview, visit Taipei Game Show official YouTube channel. For more updates on the team, please follow the team's official social media.
