“An elevated lifestyle no matter what happens outside”: we need more horror games set in billionaire apocalypse bunkers
A recent article argues that luxury apocalypse bunkers built by billionaires represent an ideal but underutilized setting for horror games. The piece notes that while billionaires themselves rarely make compelling storytellers, their obsession with securing legacies through elaborate end-times shelters creates compelling fictional spaces ripe for game development.
Many of these bunkers are either newly constructed or converted from historical structures including abandoned mines, decommissioned missile silos, and Cold War-era government shelters originally built for national leaders. The Diefenbaker in Canada is highlighted as a prime example—a former Cold War refuge now marketed as an “elite sanctuary” where residents can “maintain an elevated lifestyle no matter what happens outside.”
The author contends that billionaire bunker settings offer substantial potential for psychological horror. The inherent tension between luxury amenities and isolation, combined with the apocalyptic circumstances necessitating underground habitation, creates natural horror dynamics. The juxtaposition of extreme wealth, comfort, and existential dread provides rich thematic material for game design. The piece essentially serves as a call for game developers to more thoroughly explore bunker-based horror concepts, recognizing both the cultural relevance and entertainment value of billionaire doomsday preparations.