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Papers, Please on Twitch — competition and audience

Lucas Pope· 3909· 2013· Linux · Android · PC · iOS · Mac
Point-and-clickPuzzleSimulatorIndieThriller

The communist state of Arstotzka has just ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its rightful half of the border town, Grestin. Your job as immigration inspector is to control the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists. Using only the documents provided by travelers and the Ministry of Admission's primitive inspect, search, and fingerprint systems you must decide who can enter Arstotzka and who will be turned away or arrested.

Trailer

What is Papers, Please about?

The gameplay of Papers, Please focuses on the work life of an immigration inspector at a border checkpoint for the fictitious Eastern Bloc country of Arstotzka. The player inspects would-be immigrants' documents and uses a sparse array of tools to determine whether the papers are in order for the purpose of keeping spies, smugglers and other unwanted individuals out of the country. At the end of each in-game day, the player earns money based on how many immigrants they processed less any penalties for mistakes, and then must decide on a simple budget to spend that money on rent, food, heat, and other necessities in low-class housing for themselves and their family. As relations between Arstotzka and nearby countries deteriorate due to multiple terrorist attacks, each day introduces a new set of rules for immigration based on the game's story, such as denying citizens of specific countries or demanding more exacting identification from citizens. The player may be challenged with moral dilemmas and social engineering as the game progresses; such as allowing the supposed spouse of one immigrant through despite them lacking complete papers, even though they may be planning to attack your fellow guards. A mysterious anti-government organisation also appears, with several of its members appearing in the checkpoint, giving the inspector orders on what to do in order to help the organisation bring down the government and establish a new one; the player can choose whether or not to help this organisation. The game has a scripted story mode with multiple possible endings depending on the player's previous actions, as well as an unlockable, randomized endless-play mode. Papers, Please has been praised by the sense of immersion provided by the game mechanics, and the intense emotional reaction.[12] CBC News' Jonathan Ore called Papers, Please a "nerve-racking sleuthing game with relentless pacing and dozens of compelling characters - all from a desk job"

Papers, Please screenshot 1Papers, Please screenshot 2Papers, Please screenshot 3Papers, Please screenshot 4Papers, Please screenshot 5Papers, Please screenshot 6
0Room for youClosed off
1Live streamers
1People watching
#1Your spot at 10 viewersof 2

Should I stream Papers, Please on Twitch?

0/100 · Closed off· 1 viewers per streamer on paper

Probably not. The only English stream here holds all 1 English viewers — once you take it out there is nothing left to reach.

The only English stream here holds all 1 English viewers. There is nothing left over for a second.

Almost nobody here is available to you — either a couple of streams hold the room, or nobody is watching in English, or the category is empty, or you would be buried.

This reads the room as it is right now — how much of the English-speaking audience is reachable and where you would land — not how many followers you would gain. That depends on you.

Where to buy

All plain links straight to the official stores. Some will become affiliate links later, and they’ll be marked with a ♥ when they are — you’ll always be able to tell, and the unmarked ones will always be there.

How many people stream Papers, Please?

Right now

1 right now, to 1 viewer between them. Counted live from Twitch and refreshed every 15 minutes.

Is Papers, Please too saturated on Twitch?

Not crowded, but not open either. Only 1 person is streaming Papers, Please, and the one English stream holds all 1 English viewers — so the room is quiet because that audience is already committed, not because it is waiting for you.

Who you're up against

Biggest streams of 1 live right now

Is Papers, Please any good?

Players score it 82 out of 100 from 737 ratings, and critics 82 out of 100.

82Critics5 outlets
82Players737 ratings

Streamer reviews

No reviews yet. Reviews answer what critics can't: does chat engage, can you talk while playing, is there DMCA-risky music, does it produce clips. Sign in and yours would be the first.

Details

Released
Aug 8, 2013 · 13 years ago
Time to finish
About 6.2h
Playing on Steam
—
Price
—
Modes
Single player
Perspective
First person, Text
Rated
ESRB M
Biggest stream
1 (100% of the category)
Typical stream
1 viewers (median)
Count accuracy
Exact — every live stream counted

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Updated Oct 26, 2026, 8:08 AM UTC