While doing some research recently, I stumbled upon one of the most poignant and succinct stories of 2025. How to Walk Out the Door, a 20 Second Game Jam 2025 entry, predictably, takes place within a 20-second window. Despite being so short, it conveys a concise, heart-wrenching narrative about the process behind leaving a relationship.
There is beauty in the brief
How to Walk Out the Door is played by typing the actions of a man portrayed by Developer, Anton Pätsi. There are only 9 steps to work through, with each letter of the instructions being revealed one-by-one. As I advanced incrementally through the short story, so too did the solemn scene that played out before me. Initially failing to leave before time ran out, the scene started anew with my progress visible, making repeat attempts to walk away a little easier.
These repeat attempts weren’t entirely sub-textual either, with the couple starting in alternate positions on different playthroughs. A simple detail that adds a whole other layer of depth.
I had never been captured so completely in such little time. In 20 seconds, I was made to reflect on myself, my life, and my past relationships. The game is a prime example of the “Less is more” philosophy, and a testament to the emotional power of Art.
Anton Pätsi is an artist
If you visit Anton’s socials, you’ll see a variety of different artistic endeavours through a few mediums. Pätsi clearly enjoys working with short-form art. A brief glance at his catalogue shows a tonne of YouTube videos, a beautiful short film and several games on Itch.io with a short average session time.
A little over a month before How To Walk Out the Door was created, Anton released a different short narrative game with his Brother, Henri. You can play DateBoy for free on Steam right now. Anton’s collaborative project Walk It! was also featured in GMTK’s Game Jam 2025 showcase.
Games like How to Walk Out the Door are what Itch.io was made for, experimental experiences that further the medium of Video Games through pure creativity. There are a wealth of imaginative works born through the creative constraints that Game Jams place on developers, How to Walk Out the Door is only one drop in a sea of brilliant stories that exist out there.
If you have a few moments to spare, please give Anton’s work some love. You can find him on YouTube, Itch.io, and Instagram.
If you have more than a few moments, try out some Game Jam games! There are so many passionate and talented developers for you to discover and more games than you can poke a stick at.
I covered another Game Jam created by two Australian Developers in 2024, you can check that story out here. For more gaming Features and News, head over to our Main Page.
