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Ligato

Frau spielt das Serious Game Ligato auf dem iPad

“A real Cold War Strategy Game – DDR/1984”

Lothar Schubert invented several board games in the GDR. He sold four of his games to different People's Owned Enterprise. Nevertheless they were never produced. His fifth game - titled LIGATO - was supposed to go into production. The game idea was simultaneously great and simple. The production started. But having produced just three copies the machines were switched off again. Schubert received a letter in which "restructuring measures" were mentioned. On the letterhead, VEB Berlinplast was crossed out and "Berlinplast GmbH" was scrawled over it by hand. The letter arrived in mid-1990 - the Wall had fallen. Two of the Ligato copies produced have disappeared. Only one exists to this day. Lothar Schubert has not sold a game idea since.

 

Simple game principle combined with opulent graphics & epic soundtrack

"LIGATO" is based on the board game of the same name, which was invented decades ago but never made it to the market due to the turbulent times of reunification. We embedded the agonal game scenario (black vs. white) in the Cold War scenario (USA vs. SU) and told the background story of the game within it.

Reminiscent of Backgammon or Reversi, the strategy game is designed in a flat, high-contrast comic style throughout and features an epic soundtrack in addition to opulent graphics.

The Cold War mobile game offers numerous mini-challenges, three difficulty levels, an optional multiplayer function and diverse statistics. With each challenge solved, players unlock the true story of how LIGATO came to be. The story is told in loving illustrations and with the help of some original historical documents.

 

Try out the mobile game in the Cold War setting for yourself!

The app is completely free to play, but can be extended by optional in-app purchases with additional features such as an undo button or the multiplayer mode, without any direct game advantages. The game is available in the AppStore and is playable in the DDR Museum.

LIGATO was developed as part of the project "Nachgemacht - Spielekopien aus der DDR" and in cooperation with the DDR Museum.

 

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