In The World We Left Behind, play as astronauts trekking across an alien planet. Learn about the planets flora and fauna while uncovering vestiges of the past. What happened to the sapient species that called this planet home? Why do only remnants of their lives remain?

During this casual worldbuilding game, players draw symbols on playing cards to create a planet, populate it with traits, and uncover the mystery of the species that left this world behind. Tell a story of wonder, companionship, and legacy in the midst of a lonely planet.

The World We Left Behind is GMless and designed for 1-5 players. The game is 44 pages long (including covers), there is zero prep needed to play, and a full game lasts 2-4 sessions. Alternate rules for one-shots are found in the back of the book.

Instructions and templates for online, one-shot play are included in the digital bundle.



To play The World We Left Behind, you will need the following:

A standard deck of playing cards (these cards will be written on during play)
At least one fine-tipped permanent marker
A six-sided die (d6)
A flat surface
A few hours of time per session


The World We Left Behind was originally commissioned by BalletCollective to be used as Source Art in their 2023 season, THE MOMENT IS IMMINENT. Composer Phong Tran and choreographer Troy Schumacher played The World We Left Behind and used it as inspiration for the music and choreography of the ballet.