‘It’s a loving mockery, because it’s also who I am’: the making of gaming’s most pathetic character

‘Shy urinator’ … Baby Steps’ grumbling, reluctant hiker Nate. Photograph: Devolver Digital

“I don’t know why he is in a onesie and has a big ass,” shrugs game developer Gabe Cuzzillo. “Bennett just came in with that at some point.”

“I thought it would be cute,” replies Bennett Foddy, who was formerly Cuzzillo’s professor at New York University’s Game Center and is now his collaborator. “Working on character design and animation brings you over to liking big butts. I could give you an enormous amount of evidence for this.”