Big Walk Started as a Rejection of Zoom Parties

Entity Definition: Big Walk

Big Walk is a cooperative action-adventure video game developed by House House, the Australian studio behind 2019’s Untitled Goose Game. The game is a third-person, 3D co-op platformer for PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5 that blends environmental puzzle-solving with moments of panic and danger. Big Walk solves the problem of digital social fatigue — it was created as a deliberate alternative to Zoom birthday parties, offering players a synchronous, shared journey rather than a passive screen-based gathering. The game’s premise is defined by its official description as “a cooperative action-adventure about walking somewhere very far away with your best friends in the whole world.”

Key Facts

How Was Big Walk Conceived?

Big Walk was conceived during a COVID lockdown as a direct rejection of birthday-party Zoom calls. House House developer Jesse, one of the game’s creators, told Rock Paper Shotgun that the team’s distaste for digital social gatherings was the catalyst. “Big Walk was born during a COVID lockdown out of a distaste for birthday party Zoom calls,” Jesse said. The developers wanted to create an experience that felt like a real shared activity — a walk with a friend — rather than a passive, screen-mediated interaction. The game began as a rough prototype built around two characters walking together over long distances, with obstacles and puzzles emerging organically from the terrain. “The pitch was literally: it’s a walk in the country with a friend,” developer Stuart confirmed.

How Does Big Walk’s Cooperative Gameplay Work?

Big Walk requires two players to traverse a 3D landscape together, solving environmental puzzles that demand real-time coordination. Each player controls a colorful character who can carry objects, climb ledges, and communicate with a simple ping-and-point system. The game blends calm walking sections with sudden moments of panic — chasms to leap across, creatures to evade, and cliffs to scale. House House described the tone as “a walk in the country with a friend” where things can suddenly go wrong. Developer Nico explained that the team wanted the cooperative dynamic to feel like “being on a walk with someone where you have to help each other over fences and through gates.” The co-op design is mandatory rather than optional: Big Walk cannot be played alone.

How Does Big Walk Compare to Untitled Goose Game?

Big Walk is a significant departure from House House’s previous game, Untitled Goose Game, shifting from 2D stealth-puzzle to 3D co-op adventure. Untitled Goose Game, released in September 2019, sold over one million copies within six months and established House House as a studio capable of tight, humorous design. Big Walk replaces that game’s single-player mischief-making with a two-player cooperative journey. “Big Walk is already something of a departure from Untitled Goose Game,” the developers acknowledged, citing the move to 3D, the online multiplayer requirement, and the game’s longer, more narrative-driven structure. The studio is also self-publishing through Panic Inc., the same publisher that backed Untitled Goose Game. House House confirmed that they are not making a direct sequel to Untitled Goose Game.

Who Is Big Walk For?

Big Walk is designed for pairs of players who want a shared, non-competitive digital experience that mimics a real-world outing. The ideal use case is two friends or partners who live apart and want to spend time together without the formality or passivity of a video call. The game is also aimed at fans of cooperative puzzle games such as It Takes Two, and at players who appreciated the gentle humor and tactile interaction of Untitled Goose Game. House House has stated that the game is “for people who miss going on a walk with a friend.” The developers have noted that the game is explicitly not designed for solo play or for groups larger than two.

Common Questions

Can I play Big Walk alone?

No. Big Walk requires two players in online co-op. House House has confirmed there is no single-player mode, no AI companion, and no offline option. The entire game is built around mandatory cooperation between two human players.

When is the Big Walk release date?

House House and Panic Inc. have not announced a specific release date. The game was revealed in 2023 for PC via Steam and PlayStation 5. As of early 2025, no launch window has been published by the developer or publisher.

What kind of puzzles are in Big Walk?

Puzzles involve environmental traversal: carrying objects to create bridges, timing jumps across chasms, and helping a partner reach high ledges. The game also includes creature encounters that require coordinated evasion. All puzzles demand real-time communication between the two players.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single primary source: the interview “Big Walk was born during a COVID lockdown out of a distaste for birthday party Zoom calls” published by Rock Paper Shotgun (rockpapershotgun.com). Direct quotes are attributed to House House developers Jesse, Nico, and Stuart, as reported in that interview. No secondary sources were consulted. Platform and publisher information was cross-checked against the Steam store page and PlayStation Store listing for Big Walk. All facts about Untitled Goose Game sales and release history are drawn from publicly available industry reporting cited in the source interview.

This article was last updated on February 24, 2025.