Post Games 2025's scariest game recreates the site of a real tragedy (Piotr Surmacz)
Nov 17, 2025
Piotr Surmacz, CEO of 3R Games and former game composer, dives deep into the captivating world of VR and the harrowing tale behind Nutty Putty Cave. He shares his emotional journey discovering the cave’s tragic history on YouTube, which inspired him to recreate it in VR. Discussing design choices, Piotr reveals how claustrophobic experiences evoke fear, and why players seek thrilling yet safe escapism. Plus, he explores the balance of horror and exploration in gameplay, aiming for a profound emotional reaction from players.
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From Scoring Mines To Building Tight VR Caves
- Piotr Surmacz described how Cave Crave evolved from his background as a game composer and scoring a silver mine tour with tight tunnels.
- That early, creepy caving work inspired him to pursue a VR project that compresses space and invokes real lung-tightening claustrophobia.
The Real Tragedy That Inspired The Recreation
- Piotr summarized the Nutty Putty tragedy: John Edward Jones became stuck upside down in a 10x18 inch fissure and died despite a 28-hour rescue.
- The cave was subsequently sealed with cement and remains closed years later.
Tight Spaces Exploit VR's Unique Strength
- Piotr argued VR's power is not only vast open spaces but also compressing space to trigger intense physical and psychological responses.
- He purposely designed slow, narrow environments so players feel real breathlessness and personal thought-driven fear.