The Purdue Backrooms
Looking down from a dark library balcony into an empty atrium, where a figure in a mascot head stands between the tables.

A free, unofficial Purdue fan game

The Purdue Backrooms

It's 2:13 AM. You fell asleep studying in WALC. The building doesn't end anymore, and down in the atrium, something in a mascot head is looking up at you.

Play in your browser Download
BrowserWindowsMacAndroid

Recovered footage

First-person horror shot through a dying camcorder. Every texture and every sound is generated by the game itself, from the hum of the lights to the scrape of a hammer dragging across the floor.

Inside a locker · don't breathe
The exit moves when you look away
Floor 1. Again?
Something is kept down here
Tape damaged. Rewinding…

Six levels, one night

Real places on the West Lafayette campus, bent out of shape between 2 and 5 AM. Each one hides an old brick. Find all six and the night ends differently.

  1. Level 002:13 AM

    The Endless WALC

    Wilmeth Active Learning Center

    The front doors are chained. The stairwell keeps going down, and the hallways below aren't on any floor plan.

  2. Level 102:51 AM

    The Memorial Union

    Purdue Memorial Union

    A basement corridor that repeats, bowling lanes in the dark, and a stairway that won't unlock without power.

  3. Level 203:24 AM

    Earhart After Hours

    Earhart Hall & Dining Court

    Endless tables, trays sliding off by themselves, and a loading-dock door that rises far too slowly.

  4. Level 303:58 AM

    The Engineering Labyrinth

    Electrical Engineering & the halls around it

    Terrazzo corridors, robot arms that move on their own, and a breaker code someone left on a chalkboard.

  5. Level 404:31 AM

    The Bell Tower

    Purdue Mall & Memorial Mall

    Outside at last. The tower is right there, over the trees. Every path leads back to where you started.

  6. Level 505:02 AM

    The Underground

    Steam tunnels & the utility plant

    Tunnels under campus, a train that never stops, and three different ways out.

Pete is awake

He doesn't just run at you. When he sees you, he stops. He stares. He re-grips the hammer with both hands. Then he runs.

  • Hears you sprint, jump and slam doors
  • Forces himself through doorways after you
  • Remembers where he heard you last
  • Pulls you out if he sees you hide

Hide in lockers, under desks, behind hedges. Just not while he's watching.

Download

Version 0.2.0. Free, no account, no ads. Runs offline once installed, and your progress saves on your device.

Your device

Mac · Apple Silicon

M1 and newer, macOS 13+
Disk image · 118 MB

Download .dmg

Most Macs from 2021 on.

Your device

Android

Android 11 or newer
App (.apk) · 8 MB

Download .apk

Phones and tablets, played sideways.

No download needed: the browser version is the whole game. It runs in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, including on iPhone and iPad.

Play in browser
Installing on Windows
  1. Open PurdueBackrooms-Setup-0.2.0.exe. If your browser says it isn't commonly downloaded, choose Keep.
  2. If Windows says "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway.
  3. It installs by itself (no admin needed), adds a desktop shortcut and starts. Uninstall from Settings ▸ Apps.
Installing on a Mac
  1. Open the .dmg and drag The Purdue Backrooms into Applications.
  2. Open it. When macOS says it can't verify the app, click Done.
  3. Go to System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security, scroll down, click Open Anyway next to The Purdue Backrooms and confirm. After that it opens normally.
Installing on Android
  1. Tap Download .apk and open the file when it finishes.
  2. If Android asks, allow your browser to install unknown apps, then go back and tap Install.
  3. If Play Protect warns about an unknown app, tap More details ▸ Install anyway. Then hold the phone sideways.

Controls

Keyboard & mouse

WASD
Move
Mouse
Look (click the game first)
Shift
Run (he hears it)
C
Crouch
Space
Jump
E
Use, hide, leave a hiding spot
F
Phone flashlight
Tab
Bag & notes
Esc
Pause

Phone & tablet

Left thumb
Move (the stick appears where you touch)
Right thumb
Look around
Buttons
Run, duck, jump, use, flashlight, bag, pause
Back
Pause (Android app)
Tip
Hold it sideways and turn the sound up

Questions

Is it free?

Yes. No ads, no account, nothing to buy.

Is this made by Purdue?

No. It's an unofficial fan game, not affiliated with or endorsed by Purdue University. The campus, the buildings and the mascot appear as fan parody.

Why does my computer warn me about it?

Windows, macOS and Android warn about any app that isn't signed with a paid developer certificate or sold through an app store. This free game isn't, so you'll see a warning once. The install steps above show how to get past it. If you'd rather not, the browser version needs no install at all.

Which Mac do I have?

Open the Apple menu ▸ About This Mac. If it says Chip: Apple M1 (or M2, M3…), get the Apple Silicon version. If it says Processor: … Intel, get the Intel version.

Does it work on iPhone or iPad?

Yes, in Safari: tap Play, then Share ▸ Add to Home Screen to play it full screen like an app. Turn off the silent switch, or there's no sound.

Does it save my progress?

Yes, at checkpoints, on your device. The browser version saves in that browser; the apps save on that computer or phone.

What do I need to run it?

Anything that supports WebGL 2: practically any computer, phone or tablet from the last several years. Headphones make it a lot scarier.

● REC · OCT 19 · 02:13 AM

The building is empty. Almost.

It takes a few seconds to load in your browser.

Play nowDownload