Jakub Gornicki's browser‑based game Bottleneck drops players into the Strait of Hormuz, a 15‑minute simulation that mirrors real‑world shipping disruptions. Each day, players decide whether to push ships through an increasingly costly chokepoint, with every choice echoing the real‑life tensions that shape global fuel and food markets for the world.

The game offers instant context through embedded news articles and data from Windward Maritime Intelligence and Lloyd’s List, allowing players to see how a single day’s decisions ripple into shortages like “empty shelves” or “desalination collapse” in Gulf States. This mechanic turns abstract geopolitics into tangible outcomes for the simulation.

Gornicki built the title in 17 days, using an AI coding tool he said was “audited and corrected at every step.” The polished game forces players to confront how a 10‑day shipping schedule—far below the pre‑war average of 130 ships per day—triggers global ripple effects for the world today again.

By integrating over 125 verified news stories and real shipping data, Bottleneck turns a short game into a stark reminder that the Strait of Hormuz remains a bottleneck for global trade. Players finish with charts confirming the crisis is far from over and still costs billions in lost throughput today.