Play the Long Game: Dive into The Longing Mobile

It takes time to unravel this captivating underground adventure.

Got 400 days to kill? Dive into the fascinating point-and-click world of The Longing Mobile. As a Shade—the lone servant to an ancient king—you have more than a year (of real time!) before your liege awakes from a very long power nap. Create art, befriend spiders, and ponder the meaning of life as you inch toward the big day.

What we love: The wild concept! You can’t play The Longing in one sitting (or even a dozen), but time passes while you’re away; simply check in every few days to see what new discoveries you can unearth. We’ve become incredibly attached to our lonely little Shade and his philosophical musings—and to slowly discovering the secrets of this mysterious kingdom.

Quick tip: In the mine shaft, stand atop the Y-shaped support beam leaning at an angle. Wait a few minutes and it’ll break, forming a hole in the floor. Scramble down to grab the pickax—it’s a super-handy tool.

Meet the creator: On a hiking trip in his native Germany, animator Anselm Pyta visited the Barbarossa Cave, where legend tells of a king sleeping for centuries under the mountain, guarded by a lone servant. Inspired by the tale, Pyta developed The Longing over six years—viewing its slow pace as an antidote to societal stress, hyperactivity, and sensory overload.