Ever since The Invincible was first revealed, Starward Industries has cited three video games as inspirations for the gaming aspects: Firewatch, Alien: Isolation, and Road 96. However, the first and foremost inspiration is, of course, Stanisław Lem's work of the same name, his underlying philosophies, and his visions of the future back in the 1960s. Lem is considered an author and futurologist who predicted the invention of drones, smartphones, and the internet, and The Invincible takes players on a retro sci-fi journey based Lem's predictions and beliefs.