Serpentine has launched "I DIDNT REALISE YOU THOUGHT LIKE THAT," a new online game and critical thinking tool by artist and game designer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. Available from May 21, 2026, on web and mobile platforms, the project extends the world of Brathwaite-Shirley's acclaimed "THE DELUSION" and explores polarization, identity, and social connection beyond the gallery. Developed with nonprofit Beyond Code Collective and supported by Glass Castle Foundation, the game places players in a post-apocalyptic universe where they encounter fictional characters and make decisions that shape narratives and determine multiple endings, drawing on real-world materials from news cycles, social media, and community testimonies.
The release matters because it exemplifies how contemporary art institutions are expanding audience engagement through digital and participatory formats, moving beyond traditional gallery walls. Brathwaite-Shirley, a Black Trans artist and community archivist, centers marginalized voices and positions audiences as active participants. The project also reflects Serpentine's long-term commitment to an artist's practice, showing how sustained support can produce work that travels across platforms and fosters dialogue about censorship, division, and social fracture.