This includes a discussion of the implications of this sub-genre for its audiences, and by extension, the possible impact of Outlast and its plot on the player. Using the Outlast franchise as the central case study, my aim here is to examine the status of the game as a found footage artefact in relation to theoretical work on the same phenomenon in film. Rather than watching old material recovered from the asylum, Outlast offers an experience akin to the ‘making of’ of a found footage film, where the protagonist is creating the record of his experiences as the game is played. Yet in a videogame, the ability to interact with the game changes the dynamic between footage and viewer. Wielding little else but a camcorder, Outlast allows the player to star in their own found footage film, borrowing from the now familiar aesthetic of the form. The opening of Red Barrels’ 2013 title Outlast establishes a classic horror atmosphere: after receiving a mysterious letter, the game’s protagonist is called to a remote location in search of answers on its horrifying reputation.

I’m sorry, my son, I didn’t want to have to do this to you.

Where does outlast 2 take place