Psionicavator is a bold and imaginative video game project created by artist Dan Land, with ongoing support from Level 3. We first met Dan in 2020 during the early stages of our festival. Introduced as a passionate storyteller in his late thirties, Dan had long been seeking support to transform his Lord of the Rings-style epic into a playable game. We helped secure funding to bring the first chapter of his vision to life and supported him in learning skills in Unity and Playmaker. Dan took to these skills incredibly quickly and after a short time was able to create incredibly complex interactions. Additionally, he also discovered and introduced us to other software, like Blockbench for 3D modelling, which became key parts of his project.

At its core, Psionicavator is a personal and political narrative. Set in a mythological school for gods, players step into the role of a young man called to the psychiatrist’s office and told he is autistic. What follows is a battle against oppressive forces like the Writing Master and the Cane Corporation. The story blends Dan’s lived experience of navigating the school system with autism, along with his deep interests in mythology, divinity, capitalism, and systemic power.

This project, and Dan himself, challenge persistent misconceptions about neurodivergent adults. Too often, people with complex needs are sidelined or infantilized. Yet, research shows that only 22% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment in the UK (ONS, 2021), and many struggle to find spaces where their insights are valued. Dan’s work is a testament to the rich perspectives neurodivergent creators bring to art, storytelling, and cultural critique when given the opportunity and platform to do so.