PRESS RELEASE: PARANOIA: HAPPINESS IS MANDATORY TO RELAUNCH WORLDWIDE ON DECEMBER 21, 2023

PARANOIA: HAPPINESS IS MANDATORY TO RELAUNCH WORLDWIDE
ON DECEMBER 21, 2023

LESQUIN, France, December 21, 2023 – Bigben Interactive S.A., the parent of NACON S.A., is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated relaunch of Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory, a video game adaptation of the tabletop role-playing game created in 1984 by Dan Gelber, Greg Costikyan, and Eric Goldberg.  Paranoia was inspired by the works of Kafka, Orwell, and Huxley, and addresses the issues created by a population controlled by Friend Computer, a paranoid and irrational artificial intelligence, a subject which is central to our current day society. The game will be available on PC platforms for PC gamers worldwide on December 21, 2023.

“We are happy that, with the approval of Eric Goldberg and Greg Costikyan, Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory is being re-released.  We also are pleased that the parties were able to resolve their differences amicably and that Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory will be available for game players for years to come.  Given the impact of artificial intelligence upon our society, the re-release of Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory provides gamers with a timely opportunity to explore one possible vision of the future of artificial intelligence.” stated Benoit CLERC, Nacon’s Head of Publishing.

Paranoia: Happiness Is Mandatory places players into an oppressive universe where the Friend Computer, an artificial intelligence, controls and watches over Alpha Complex, a human city where an inhabitant’s social standing is determined by colour-coded security clearances. In this mad universe, the player will learn through off-the-wall dialogues that happiness is mandatory, that anyone can turn out to be a traitor, and asking too many questions is treason against Friend Computer.

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory is a faithful and approved adaptation of its pen and paper progenitor. The player, leading a squad of four Troubleshooters, is tasked with tracking down traitors. Serving the Friend Computer can be very risky, but it lets the most tenacious Troubleshooters rise quickly through the hierarchy. And since death is waiting for the player just around each corner, they have access to five clones which allows them to develop their character in order to accomplish their goals and unmask their enemies.

About Bigben/NACON S.A.  Bigben Interactive S.A. was established in 1981 and became a major player in video game publishing, and the design and distribution of mobile accessories, gaming accessories and customized audio products, which was consolidated as Bigben Group.  NACON is a company of the Bigben Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 16 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 30 years of expertise at the service of players. https://www.nacongaming.com/.

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