Insight on While Waiting, While We Wait For Release

At Summer Game Fest 2024 , I took on a speed round of multiple Day of the Devs titles. This meant that I had about ten minutes each to play five different indie games. Though this is not enough time to develop a full preview, it is certainly enough time to make a lasting impression, and that is exactly what Optillusion Games’ While Waiting did.

While Waiting puts the player in the middle of boring, everyday scenarios that make you “wait” and lets you explore and pass the time in the game. In my short play-through, I waited for the bus and waited for my lives to refill in a mobile game. It is truly just as strange as it sounds, but I spent my entire 10 minutes laughing and asking, “Why?”

Luckily, I got to chat a little bit with the Founder of Optillusion, Dong Zhou, about what makes While Waiting so special and, honestly, why it exists in the first place. Zhou had some great insight into the making of the game and what players can get out of playing it.

First, tell us a bit about While Waiting and why people should dive in.

Dong Zhou: While Waiting is a unique game inspired by the mundane moments of our daily lives. It transforms the often frustrating experience of waiting into a playful and engaging activity. The game encourages players to find something to kill the time in the most ordinary situations. It has a simplistic yet distinct art style, influenced by comic books and cartoons. People should dive in to rediscover the fun in waiting and experience a game that balances humor and thought-provoking narratives beautifully.

How did it feel to show off the game at Summer Game Fest ? What was the response like?

Dong Zhou: It was a fantastic opportunity to share this weird but innovative concept with a broader audience. I was a little bit worried about how to showcase this game since it is not a game with a clear goal, but we got a lot of positive feedback from players. Once players know about how the game works, they do enjoy the funny moments in the game. It is a game about killing time but not achieving goals. I would say the hard part is how to make players get to this point easier and earlier. Another interesting feedback is that players love the useless fidget button so much.

While Waiting is a wild concept for a game. How did you come up with it, and more importantly, how did you make it into a fully realized product?

Dong Zhou: The inspiration for While Waiting came from our daily lives, particularly from those moments when we’re stuck waiting and naturally seek ways to entertain ourselves (if we are not playing with our phones). We thought this could be quite interesting if we could make a game that you can clear by doing nothing, but you can also explore and find a lot of things to do, just like an achievement-hunting game. At the beginning, the game has a smaller scope, but we do love the whole story of the game, and we thought it has the potential to be deeper and thought-provoking, so we took more time diving into this game. Since most of our levels have one-off gameplays, it is very challenging, but I hope it‘s worth it.

“While Waiting is designed to make you think about the meaning of time and how we spend it.”

While Waiting feels much more wacky and out there than Moncage . Does Optillusion have a specific tone they want to set for their games? How do you decide which concepts to run with?

Dong Zhou: Our thesis is all about the wow moment. While Waiting certainly has a wackier and more whimsical vibe compared to Moncage, both games share a common goal: to offer unique and engaging experiences that challenge players’ perceptions. We decide which concepts to run with based on their potential to create memorable and impactful gameplay. If an idea excites us and we believe it will resonate with players, we dive in and bring it to life.

What is your favourite “waiting” scenario in the game right now?

Dong Zhou: It is a hard question. I personally love the baggage claim one. Someone would take your luggage by accident in that level, and I had this exact same experience. And I always daydream about sitting on the belt on the carousel but never had the chance or guts to try. This is something you should definitely not try in your daily life, or it will make you feel stupid,  but you can do that in While Waiting , which is exciting.

Do you intend to keep coming up with new “waiting” scenarios after the game launches with DLC?

Dong Zhou: Definitely will if we have better ideas. But right now, we just finished 100 levels, and we need some time to refill our inspiration. We do have some good ideas about waiting, but they don’t fit the game narrative, so we ditched them. If we gather enough ideas, we probably would like to make While Waiting 2.

What do you hope people take away from While Waiting ?

Dong Zhou: We hope that players take away a renewed sense of patience and the ability to find joy in the mundane moments of life. While Waiting is designed to make you think about the meaning of time and how we spend it. Whether it makes you laugh or brings a tear to your eye, we want the game to leave a lasting impression and inspire you to be more playful in your daily life.

While Waiting has yet to announce its release date, but you can follow Optillusion Games on X or check out the game’s Steam page for more details when they arrive.