In the world of Caves of Qud, players can experience diverse characters that may possess numerous arms and legs, yet the creators believe that a ’limbless sphere’ embodies the ideal form.

The Interview at GDC 2025

During GDC 2025, co-creators Jason Grinblat and Brian Bucklew shared about their game’s journey after 17 years of development, exploring philosophical themes around the nature of form in gameplay.

“Oh, zero,” Bucklew declared regarding the perfect form. “I mean, perfectly spherical is an ideal form, right? You’re unlimited in directionality. You always know where your whole body is if you know where any of your body is.”

Bucklew elaborated further, reinforcing the idea that humanity diverged from a perfect state when we began to evolve and develop additional limbs, indicating that they moved away from this ideal state toward ‘horrific appendages’ for ungodly pursuits.

The discussions also highlighted how the game allows for entity interactions where even non-human elements can achieve sentience, offering players a bizarre yet insightful gaming experience.