diff --git a/button_2/blackboard.qmd b/button_2/blackboard.qmd
index 5bc619d..5fa9bb1 100644
--- a/button_2/blackboard.qmd
+++ b/button_2/blackboard.qmd
@@ -86,4 +86,20 @@ from classes.game.node_engine import NodeEngine
 
 node_engine = NodeEngine()
 
+```
+
+## game 
+
+
+```{python}
+from classes.game.game_engine import GameEngine
+
+game_engine = GameEngine()
+
+```
+
+
+```{python}
+game_engine.current_node
+
 ```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/button_2/classes/game/game_engine.py b/button_2/classes/game/game_engine.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c71e393
--- /dev/null
+++ b/button_2/classes/game/game_engine.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from ..data.button_dat import ButtonDat
+from ..entities.employee import Employee
+from .node_engine import NodeEngine
+
+class GameEngine:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.button_dat = ButtonDat()
+        self.employee = Employee(self.button_dat)
+        self.current_node = self.button_dat.nodes_df.node.iloc[0]
+        self.narrative_path = [self.current_node]
+        self.nodes_visited = {self.current_node: 1}
+        self.node = NodeEngine(self.button_dat, self.employee)
+
diff --git a/button_2/tests/game/test_game_engine.py b/button_2/tests/game/test_game_engine.py
index a42e20c..f571719 100644
--- a/button_2/tests/game/test_game_engine.py
+++ b/button_2/tests/game/test_game_engine.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
+import pytest
 from button_2.classes.game.game_engine import GameEngine
-from button_2.classes.data.button_dat import ButtonDat
-from button_2.classes.entities.employee import Employee
 
 # this tests that the game engine has the required attributes & methods
 
 # instantiate the game engine
 # nb this is where I will pass hyper parameters to tweak probabilities
 
-button_game <- GameEngine()
+@pytest.fixture
+def button_game():
+    button_game = GameEngine()
+    return button_game
 
 # test the game engine is a thing
 def test_game_engine(button_game: GameEngine):