“A densely-packed open world game about death anxiety”: Bad Magpie’s avian mischief channels a lot of heartache
Bad Magpie is the debut project from developer Milktooth, a densely-packed open-world game centered around death anxiety and mischief-making avian characters. Shaped significantly by the lockdown period and inspired by the success of Untitled Goose Game, the project channels themes of heartache through its magpie-focused gameplay and narrative.
The game draws on Victorian folklore surrounding magpies and their superstitious associations with fate and sorrow—including the traditional rhyme “one for sorrow, two for joy.” According to the developers, magpies themselves possess sharp auditory perception and counting abilities, which informs the game’s approach to these intelligent creatures. The title and thematic focus suggest Bad Magpie uses the cultural baggage around magpies as a vehicle to explore existential anxiety and the human tendency toward worry and superstition.