Peter Molydeux

Peter Molydeux is a Twitter account presented as a parody of the game designer Peter Molyneux. Created by game artist Adam Capone in 2009, it posts audacious game design ideas in the style of Molyneux. The account presents Molyneux as a tragicomic character with unrelenting, creative ideas that are continually received by an apathetic audience. Over time, the account evolved from a Molyneux-based persona into a list of potential game concepts. A common theme of the tweets is the untapped potential of emotional game experiences. Molyneux came to appreciate the parody, and has since met Capone in person.

The account went viral in 2011 and led to the reinvigoration of Molyneux's legacy. To many, the two became entwined. Molyneux's reputation as a dreamer was reclaimed as a positive trait in light of growing opposition to conservative game design, and the parody account became a mouthpiece for that population. The tweets contributed to Molyneux's decision to leave Microsoft Game Studios and pursue riskier game ideas. They also inspired a game jam, in which about 1,000 game developers worldwide created about 300 games based on the tweets over the course of a weekend. The game jam also brought Molyneux fame within a burgeoning indie game movement. Notable games based on the parody account's ideas include Donut County.