Creating a grim portrayal of war—a game that shifts away from the industry’s action movie-like depictions to show the struggle of survival from a down-to-earth civilian perspective—was a risk. Yet, 11 bit studios couldn’t be prouder of what This War of Mine has accomplished in the decade since its release.

The game’s stark portrayal of reality, where morality erodes under the weight of war, has transcended the boundaries of the gaming industry, earning a place in prestigious exhibitions such as those at the Imperial War Museum in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Through charity DLC, the game continuously raises funds for War Child, an organization dedicated to supporting children affected by war. Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, all proceeds from one week of This War of Mine sales were donated, generating $850k for the Ukrainian Red Cross.

As part of 11 bit studios’ ongoing effort to gain recognition for its ‘meaningful entertainment’ philosophy, they’re proud to announce that This War of Mine has made another prestigious achievement. The best-selling game portraying a dire civilian fate during a wartime struggle has secured a coveted spot in New York’s The Museum of Modern Art as part of the exhibition Never Alone: Video Games and Other Interactive Design on view through July 16th, 2023.

“Never Alone seeks to help us understand video games as various parts, different tools, and techniques that designers bring to bear to shape our experience with games,” states Paul Galloway, Collection Specialist, Department of Architecture and Design at MoMA and co-curator of the exhibition, that puts interactive design at its center.

“There is often a kind of a conversation about games as fun, games as a diversion, but I think that there’s an increasing range of games that ask more of the players. When I played This War of Mine it made me sad, it made me afraid, it made me very tense, and in the end, it left me with a very changed understanding of what it is to be playing in a war space,” describes Galloway.

This War of Mine was acquired by MoMA in 2022 along with 35 other video games as part of the Museum’s permanent collection. This allows the Museum to study, preserve, and exhibit video games as part of its Architecture and Design collection. Starting in September 2022, the game is also a part of War Games – an exhibition exploring the message about conflicts that are conveyed by war-themed games, in the Imperial War Museum in London.

This War of Mine, a game that has become a champion in the education of the effects of war on ordinary people, is once again supporting a fundraising campaign in an effort to help war torn Ukraine

Eight years after its 2014 launch, This War of Mine is not only wildly successful in its own right with over 7 million copies sold, but it’s also become an embodiment of the hardships civilians face during wartime, a platform for charity fundraising, and even a recognized educational tool.