For Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Bethesda came to iam8bit with an elegant challenge – create the old-timey alternate reality of Dishonored in the real world. We enthusiastically accepted, ultimately producing an experience that was hailed as the most unique and engrossing event in the convention’s history. Held at a mansion atop Seattle’s Capitol Hill district, the event meticulously recreated a level from the game called the “Boyle Party”. Fancy invitations were dispersed to fans throughout Friday and Saturday, and upon arrival, every guest was given a paper mask, playing to the masquerade theme.

Inside, a cast of 10 character actors awaited, dressed in steampunk-Victorian garb and wearing hand-crafted theatrical masks. They engaged visitors with a mystery, solvable only if the appropriate clues were uncovered throughout the mansion. Winners did not regret their participation, as the prizes were grand. Playing to the fictional era of the game, the 10,000 sq. ft. house was decorated to the nines, featuring a buffet table with a 4-foot-long shark as a centerpiece, a station where hand-cut paper silhouettes were created, immaculately framed paintings of characters from the game, and plenty of other small touches that really made this event spectacular.