HODLER PRIZE 002 WINNER #2
âExplore a melancholic island with brutalist structures where youâll encounter 4 tormented characters. Gradually understand their desires through a surprising puzzle/dating sim gameplay by caressing or holding the characters. Will they trust you enough to ask you one last thing? Also find the islandâs secrets, play with the sound structures or walk around and listen to the musical landscapes.âšâšPlayer Non Player is a queer game created by Jonathan Coryn that explores mature themes, such as grief, through the lens of intimacy, including sexual and gender identity, friendship and love. Released alongside Agar Agarâs new album of the same name, the video game shares a unified lore, with the music intricately tied to the gameâs narrative. Notably, the Trouble music clip serves as a prequel to the events depicted in the game.â Jonathan Coryn
Jonathan Coryn is an artist and video game creator based in Paris, France. After studying game design at the Royal Academy of Denmark, he received his masterâs degree from the school of Fine Arts in Paris/Cergy.âšâšUsually working as a solo developer, his technical and artistic skills were highlighted in his game, Player Non Player, which won the first prize at the Amaze festival in 2023.âšâšWith the desire to create meaningful ludonarrative and playful experiences, he stages troubled and ragdoll-like bodies in desolate, melancholic settings. Rooted in sensitivity and intimacy, these characters are designed as game mechanics that underscore themes of grief, denial, love, sexual and gender identity.
Title : Player Non Player
Author : Jonathan Coryn
Medium : Game
Publisher : Self-Published
Selected by Alice Bucknell
Our warmest thanks go to @ledger and @coinsharesco making this second Hodler Prize edition possible.
Following its deliberations on Wednesday, April 9, the Hodler Prize Committee is pleased and proud to announce that the Hodler Prize 002 has been awarded in equal shares to Alice Notley for her poetry memoir « Being Reflected Upon » and to Jonathan Coryn for his video game « Player Non Player ».
Two impressive texts in terms of narrative innovation, by two authors whose different means of expression embody creative correspondences across categories and generations. Two poems of rupture for the same emotion.
This ever-evolving prize would not be possible without the energy and intellectual input of our committee: Hans Ulrich Obrist, Alice Bucknell, Emanuele Coccia, Precious Okoyomon, Mark Alizart, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Hari Kunzru, Peter Harness, and Tolu Ogunlesi. Thanks to them, the future of this award is bright.
Finally, weâd like to thank the Ledger and CoinShares teams for their constant support, which made this second edition a wonderful moment dedicated to contemporary creation.
As every year, 1 Bitcoin will be shared equally between the winners and the Hodler Prize 002 Committee.
See you in April 2026 for the third edition of the Hodler Prize.
#hodlerprize002 #hodlerprize #text #poetry #videogame
Stills from @distraction.fun âMe and Who?â group show at @tlnhybrid , curated by @chochinbi .
"Aggregate" is a collective process requiring a large number of players to take turns and experience reinforcement learning (punishment/reward) as they progress through the uncharted territory of machine learning and queer desire.
In the heart of a vast thicket strewn with electrical pylons and abandoned structures, the AI carves a network of aggregated desire lines through its arduous path, hoping that, in its next run, it might reach the object of its longing, held captive in a sightless cybernetic fortress.
It stumbles, collapses, and starts again, learning a little more with each attempt.
by @moulsssss@nino.filiu@kamyukami@gucciwarlock@pierre__moulin@alpha_rats@moshelinke@migu.exe@corjn and the friendly participation of @lazy_dog.ttf .
