Dolly’s World is a VR game in development for the Oculus Quest by members of the Critical Art and Technology Lab (CAT Lab) in the computer science department at the College of Charleston. The game is a queer, narrative driven, escape-room-style game that explores worker’s rights in the service industry. In Dolly’s World players find themselves in the surreal environment of a fictional children’s television show inspired by the aesthetics of real life shows like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. While exploring Dolly’s World players discover through onscreen dialogue that they are a recent college grad named Bee, in a relationship with their coworker, Jess, at the fast casual pizza restaurant, Krust Krafters, where the two work. As players complete unique environmental puzzles, they’ll learn from Jess’ about the complicated class dynamics of the couple’s relationship, the dubious state of workers rights at Krust Krafters, and the existential conflict between Bee and Jess over suspicions of wage-theft by their manager. Can they unlock the mystery of how they ended up in Dolly’s World and figure out how to get home?
