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Welcome To BlueSuburbia

BlueSuburbia is interactive poetry and literature. A net-art cult classic from the early days of the internet, first released in 1999, it is being re-imagined again.
Journey through haunted dreamscapes where you explore poetic worlds caught between the beauty and horror of life. Wander through the world of poetry, face an impending darkness, confront your demons, and delve deeper into a dream that promises to finally set you free.

BlueSuburbia is a commentary on personal strength and persistence in spite of a world that is trying to destroy you... guided by the light you feel inside that does not let you give up, even when everything around you is at its darkest.

It is a beautiful horror.

A history of BlueSuburbia

BlueSuburbia was an interactive poetry and literature project in which you explored poems through immersive environments and animations. It was a Flash site that was updated from 1999-2005. It had a strong cult following in its day, and people would regularly return to it up until the death of Flash.

The online Flash version is available through emulation (here).
You can download and run the original Flash version (following the instructions here), as it was intended to be experienced.

Despite BlueSuburbia being almost two decades old I still get emails about it today. Its continued relevance as political and personal net-art is why I'm bringing it to the desktop as a hybrid web and desktop project using Unreal.

About the reboot

A short teaser demo of the reboot is out now.

BlueSuburbia was originally about war, poverty, refugees, and social commentary wrapped in poetry. I was in high school when I made the first version and it was my way of venting about my family's experiences while dealing with the culture shock of moving to America.
This new reboot version will include a lot of that commentary but in a more relatable sense.

BlueSuburbia is about struggle, survival, tenacity, strength, and hope… all mixed with a good dose of existentialism.

It is about my experiences in surviving our culture's inclination to feel owed the spectacle of someone's struggle, and how society is structured to fail those that need help the most while also rewarding those that cause so much harm. Much like "Everything is going to be OK" was a commentary on power, BlueSuburbia is a commentary on strength and not giving up despite the world trying to destroy you. You are the light in that darkness.

You can visit the devlog for regular updates here.

Click here for more art.


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"BlueSuburbia takes you to a place that is filled with a lonely kind of menace – an oppressive fear that crushes you as it tells you that no one will come save you."
- ‘BlueSuburbia’ Stirs Up a Deep, Solitary Fear - 2023 by Joel Couture

"Distant flowers lead to intricate close-ups and secret passageways; rat traps swirl into demented poetic offerings. Don’t be surprised if you end up tripping on some sort of psychedelic whirling sculpture or marveling at the sickly detailed backgrounds. And the next poem is always a surprise, in composition, theme and presentation."
- Welcome to BlueSuburbia - 2003 by Brandon Backhaus

"It's exciting and chilling all at the same time, as you never really know what you'll stumble across next. Walking through doors, clicking on words or otherwise discovering a new area initiates a short scene interspersed with text. They're all different, they're all a little breathtaking, and they're completely fascinating to watch."
- Blue Suburbia - 2006 by JohnB

"It’s a mystifying, confusing, stunning and captivating game that does a great job of taking short form writing and placing it in environments that really elevate the experience. A powerful and poignant poetic experience well worth diving into."
- Blue Suburbia – Beta Demo - 2023 by Calum Fraser




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Old words once used to describe it by...

interactive poetry
hypertext-poetry
e-poetry
hypertext fiction
hyperpoem
net.art
software art
meta-artistic
internet art
generative art
literary hypermedia
meanderware
dreamware
e-psychedelia