We Become What We Behold: Meaning, Endings, and Message

A five-minute browser game might change how you see the news forever. We Become What We Behold, a point-and-click satire by Nicky Case, turns you into a media producer whose camera decides what society obsesses over.

Developer: Nicky Case ·
Release year: 2016 ·
Platforms: Browser, Android (fan port) ·
Number of endings: 3 ·
Play time: 5-10 minutes ·
Genre: Point-and-click, social commentary

Six key specs, one takeaway: this is a deliberately tiny game with outsize ambition — a five-minute experience that lays bare the feedback loop between attention and social behavior.

The specs show a pattern: short play time, free access, and a design that prioritizes message over mechanics.

What does the phrase “we become what we behold” mean?

What is the origin of the phrase?

• The title is attributed to game creator Nicky Case, though it echoes earlier philosophical ideas about perception and identity (official game description on itch.io).
• Case has said the phrase reflects the idea that our attention shapes who we are collectively (Nicky’s post-mortem analysis).

How does the game illustrate this concept?

• Players control a camera and broadcast moments that influence the behavior of on-screen characters (gameplay description on itch.io).
• Focusing on negative or sensational events causes NPCs to imitate that behavior, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of outrage (Nicky’s post-mortem analysis).
• The game’s core message is a critique of how media coverage amplifies conflict rather than resolving it (TV Tropes game analysis).

The implication: what you point your camera at grows. The player becomes the engine of the very polarization the game critiques.

Are there multiple endings in We Become What We Behold?

What are the different endings?

• Default ending: The cycle continues without resolution — society remains polarized (Steam Community ending guide).
• Good ending: Vincent and Leo both survive; the camera stops amplifying negative content (Steam Community good ending guide).
• Bad ending: Violence escalates and one or both characters die (speedrun.com ending sequence guide).

How do you achieve each ending?

• Good ending: Avoid filming violent or sensational interactions; instead capture peaceful, neutral moments (Steam Community good ending instructions).
• Bad ending: Continue filming fights and drama — the NPCs become more aggressive and the final confrontation turns deadly (speedrun.com bad ending route).
• Default ending: Play through without actively avoiding or seeking conflict; the game ends with the cycle still running (Steam Community default ending description).

Can Vincent and Leo both live?

Who are Vincent and Leo?

• Vincent and Leo are the two main characters representing opposing groups in the game’s society (Fandom wiki character descriptions).
• They start as friends but can become enemies depending on the player’s camera choices (Nicky’s blog on character dynamics).

What determines their survival?

• If the player continuously films conflict, NPCs grow hostile, and Vincent and Leo turn on each other — one or both die (Steam Community survival conditions).
• In the good ending, the player refuses to amplify negativity, allowing Vincent and Leo to reconcile and survive together (Steam Community good ending details).
• The game’s design makes the player directly responsible for the outcome — a commentary on media’s role in real-world conflict (Nicky’s blog on player responsibility).

“a game about news cycles, vicious cycles, infinite cycles.”

— Nicky Case, game description on itch.io official game page

For anyone watching the news in 2024, the game’s warning feels like prophecy. The choice the player faces — to amplify or to look away — mirrors the one everyone makes when scrolling.

Frequently asked questions