Summary
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, bydeveloper The Astronauts, was the indie studio’s debut title, originally released on Jul 07, 2025. At the time, it was seen as something of an outlier, asThe Vanishing of Ethan Carterdidn’t quite seem to neatly fit into established genre conventions. Although the term has come to be seen as having a negative connotation, as a first-person exploration and puzzle solving experience,The Vanishing Ethan Cartercan technically be classified as a “walking simulator.” However, it is more than that reductive label usually implies, and over the last decade its vision has proven clairvoyant in a number of ways.
As an earlier example of the experimental work being done within video games, and how the boundaries of the medium could be expanded,The Vanishing of Ethan Carterset a template for the burgeoning subgenre of narrative and exploration-focused titles. Looking back at it ten years later, itremains one of the most impressive examples of howinformed environmental design in gamescan create an experience greater than the sum of its parts.Ethan Cartermade excellent use of modern technology to render its world, integrating these techniques into its presentation to create a curated setting that is supremely immersive, and provided a blueprint for how titles that came after could achieve similar heights.
The Astronauts' latest title,Witchfire,is a fast-paced extraction FPS with roguelike elements, a large departure fromEthan Carter’s more subdued design and gameplay.
10 Years Later, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter’s Environmental Storytelling Approach Still Stands Tall
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Was a Prototype for Engaging Environmental Storytelling
The first thing players see upon booting upThe Vanishing of Ethan Carteris a line of text stating that it is “a narrative experience that does not hold your hand.” Players control Paul Prospero, adetective investigating a strange mysteryin Red Creek Valley, a sleepy Midwestern town during the 1970s. Ethan Carter is a 12-year-old boy who has seemingly disappeared. Without the traditional guidance provided by quests or map markers, players must instead rely mainly on their navigational skills and the strength of the level design, poking around the woods to discover and solve an organic series of puzzles to uncover the truth of events.
What immediately stands out isThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter’s utilization of photogrammetry; a process by which multiple photographs of real objects are used to render digital versions of them incredibly accurately and realistically.Ethan Carterrequires that players literally go off the beaten path to follow breadcrumb trails through winding paths and oddly ruined houses, paying careful attention to the meaningful details scattered throughout.
This method also lends the world a layer of surreality. While the Valley itself is extremely naturalistic, this natural beauty contrasts against some of the more intense moments and scenes of supernatural horror, and the effect is striking by adding to the mystique of the experience, punctuated by major story moments and revelations.Ethan Carter’s environment is an intrinsic part of the narrative, and essentially a character unto itself.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter’s Influence Can Still Be Seen and Felt Today
There are numerous other titles that came afterThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and were positively compared to it, particularly through their similar depiction of an engaging world via a focus on moody environmental and related elements. Of some notablegames that also focused on investigations within strange or unsettling atmospheres:
The Vanishing of Ethan Carterwas a pioneer in such design, and is still counted among the best specifically for its focus on stunning environmental storytelling. Its photogrammetry approach combined with the supernatural and Lovecraftian-influenced vignettes serve as a top-tier example ofgames that blur the lines between reality, and provide a more unique, non-traditional experience.Ethan Cartershowed so much more than it told, as reflected in the vibrant yet foreboding design of Red Creek. The Valley and its landmarks naturally guide players without the need to signpost, immersing fans in a memorable and breathtaking landscape. Its lineage is present in various titles since, and the sensibilities that it displays in this area remain visionary and prescient.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
WHERE TO PLAY
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery game that focuses entirely on exploration and discovery. It contains no combat or explosions of any kind. If our game leaves any scars, we hope you won’t be able to see them.You play the game as Paul Prospero, an occult-minded detective who receives a disturbing letter from Ethan Carter. Realizing the boy is in grave danger, Paul arrives at Ethan’s home of Red Creek Valley, where things turn out to be even worse than he imagined. Ethan has vanished in the wake of a brutal murder, which Paul quickly discerns might not be the only local murder worth looking into.Inspired by the weird fiction (and other tales of the macabre) from the early twentieth century, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter aims to significantly evolve immersive storytelling in games. While it features a private detective and quite a few mental challenges, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is not an especially puzzle-ridden game. Our focus is on atmosphere, mood, and the essential humanity of our characters.Still, the discoveries won’t happen on their own, or without your help. Using both Paul’s supernatural skill of being able to communicate with the dead, and your own powers of observation, you will discover the mystery behind a trail of corpses, the roots of a dark ancient force lurking in Red Creek Valley, and the fate of a missing boy.
