This idea was part of the 2025 game jam ideas project.

Scale

Instead of a multiverse our scientists discovered that there is exactly one mirror copy of our universe. A bridge was created and as soon as the bridge was created, our universes started to diverge. (Exact copy of Earth, same as us, same people, only one copy)

The exotic material needed to make the bridges between the worlds turned out to not be that exotic. With enough skills and effort it's easy to produce a one way bridge. It's just as easy to close the bridge from either side after it's been detected. (Easy access to a tremendous terrifying technology)

Since the technology was accessible to nearly everyone. People abused it almost immediately. (Individuals are the problem, not governments)

A trend in our universe is to use the other universe as a dumping ground for waste. Industrial, sewage, slag piles, slurry ponds. (Mass goes out)

A trend on the other universe is to strip mine our world for resources. Especially freshwater from the aquifer, as well as heavy metals, etc... (Mass goes out)

Over a decade. Our scientists started to notice that our planetary body's mass had changed. Our planet had gotten lighter. While their planet had gotten heavier. The planets were linked by the bridges. Which created a planetary wobble in our orbit around the sun. This caused many catastrophes and issues. (The big world ending problem)

A popular quick fix flawed "solution" to the mass imbalance is to set up a bridge under the ocean and transfer salt water from one universe to the other evening out the imbalance. There are many many problems with this quick fix, "simple", "solution", but its still popular because it's "simple". Once the idea existed, well intentioned groups started making bridges and the idea proliferated quickly. (People are well-intentioned but stupid, with access to incredibly powerful technology)

Weather is really really messed up, lots of knock-on effects. (Story is set during the eco Apocalypse)

An organization was set up to help close the bridges on both sides. The deconstructionist. (Our protagonist). Their job is to detect and close bridges. Using automated drones, and personal intervention when necessary.

Not all bridges are accessible. The people who made the bridge do their best to prevent them from being closed. Some are deep underground, while others are protected in other ways. (It's a hard job)

Every once in a while you interact with yourself from the other universe, doing the same job as yourself. (Meet yourself, the universes aren't that different)

One line pitch

A systemic eco-horror where two identical Earths destroy each other through convenience, exploitation, and a thousand "temporary" solutions—until gravity itself turns against them.

This is more of a story about bureaucracy. For every one bridge that's closed, 10 more opened. For every one bridge that can be closed. Five more are inaccessible. Your job is to close the ones that you can, log and mark the ones you can't close. With the knowledge that this problem isn't solvable. (Just like Japanese knotweed, a real problem in Vancouver)

Story follows the protagonist, as they are attempting to close a cluster of bridges created by a single organization who is responsible for a large percentage of the illicit bridges. (Main story conflict)

The ending is that this illicit organization was able to break the first rule. Only one mirrored earth. They found a way to open a bridge to two other earths that were mirrors of our two linked earths. Exacerbated the problem by two fold. With the hint that the problem could be doubled infinitely. Thus the scale is infinite. (There is no way to solve this problem. Technology gone wild aka sci-fi horror).

Design note

I like the set up. I don't know what to do with it. It's hard to turn into a game. I don't have the writing chops to make it into a story. Oh well.