We Got A South Dublin School Video Game Before GTA 6
While the world is being whipped up into a frenzy about GTA VI, a developer has created an open-world game, mirroring his experience as part of the insular bubble which is the privileged South Dublin school world. Through a storyline, online functions and Easter eggs, we are dropped into the height of Irish school society, through ‘Autumn Term’.
For the past few weeks, intriguing videos have been popping up on the TikTok algorithm. These videos show a gamified version of the rites of passage we commonly associate with South Dublin private school culture. A house party on Booterstown Avenue, try-outs for the rugby team and sneaking into Trinity Ball. What at first seemed like parody animations quickly actualised into a playable game with impressive detail. Autumn Term is a passion project of an Irish developer, one which simulates the trials and tribulations of Ireland’s most elite youth.
@autumterm Online multiplayer is now live 🤝#autumnterm #dublin ♬ Another One Bites The Dust – Remastered 2011 – Queen
When did the idea for Autumn Term come to you and how has the idea evolved?
“Everything feels increasingly formulaic and completely devoid of personality. It’s exhausting trying to find something good in a sea of slop. Eventually I thought, fuck it, why don’t I just make something I’d actually want to play?”
For those who aren’t familiar with the South Dublin world, what do you hope they take away from playing this game?
“That it’s every bit as ridiculous as they’ve imagined. A lot of it comes from growing up in South Dublin. The people, the schools, the nights out, the completely absurd things that everyone just accepted as normal.”
The South Dublin demographic is one of the most ridiculed in Ireland. It’s hard not to take the piss out of the elongated vowels, sense of entitlement and absolute horseplay which occurs within the walls of the South Dublin eircodes.
“Every town, school and social circle has its own hierarchies, unwritten rules, romantic disasters and people who take themselves far too seriously. South Dublin just happens to be a particularly entertaining example.”
Part parody but almost all reality, Autumn Term is a spotlight on the universal experience of school. The fact your dad had to pay €20k a year to experience it just makes it that little bit sweeter.
@autumterm Trinners is for winners #autumnterm #dublin ♬ original sound – autumnterm
How does the game work?
In Autumn Term, you play as William Montgomery, a fledgling “Blackmock College” pupil who is trying to navigate his hierarchy in the school. The story unfolds across 20 chapters, with a new chapter released every two weeks, accompanied by teasers on TikTok.
The open-world element of the game cannot be understated. Much like Grand Theft Auto or Bully, you are free to roam through the halls of your school, interact with prefects, teachers and clergymen. Along the way, you can collect relics which are small morsels of South Dublin life, with over one hundred up for grabs.
Outside of the story element, the creator is also working on an online section. Here, you will be able to interact with the rest of high society.
“For example, we have an in-game nightclub called Scenes that operates from 7pm until 3am, Friday through Sunday. It’s a place for players to meet, socialise and enjoy the world together. I love the idea that someone might log into Autumn Term on a Friday night, not because they have a particular objective to complete, but simply because they want to see who’s around.”
It goes even further. The developer is also in the midst of creating one of the most realistic rugby artificial intelligence engines in the world. This would allow for people to log on and participate in a “global Schools Cup system that would allow rugby-playing schools from around the world to compete.”
@autumterm Blow your entire revolut at Scenes nightclub this weekend. Open 7 p.m until 3 a.m Friday until Sunday. Experience live music from the best Irish artists. Remember, keep your reputation high or the bouncers might refuse you entry. #autumnterm #dublin ♬ Feels So Good – Arielle Free
What do you think is so unique about the world of being chronically South Dublin?
“It’s the extraordinary sense of importance attached to things that are, in the grand scheme of things, completely meaningless. What school you went to. What rugby club you played for. Whether your family goes to Portugal or France in the summer. People can construct an entire personality around these things.”
It’s a world filled with insecurity surrounding status. However, this doesn’t mean that the South Dub doesn’t have a heart.
“I think the really interesting part is what happens beneath all that. For all the posturing, these are still people dealing with the same insecurities, friendships, romantic complications and personal dramas as everyone else. That’s what makes the world such fertile ground for storytelling. There’s this constant tension between the image people are trying to project and what’s actually going on in their lives. The setting might be South Dublin, but the ambition is to create something much bigger than that.”
What started as a passion project based on personal experience is quickly growing into an actually enjoyable open-world game, the likes of which hasn’t been seen before in an Irish context. And if you ever had FOMO because you went to a Coláiste instead of a college, this one is for you.
