Drop-In Go Game at Brixton Village on Thursday!

We at The Go Game are all about cool urban spaces, fun and playful environments, partnerships with interesting people and organisations, and of course, tasty snacks. With a few of our favourite things in mind (no bright copper kettles or warm woollen mittens unfortunately), we're partnering with Space Makers Agency to put on a Go Game as part of their project at the indoor market at Brixton Village.

This indoor market, also known as the Granville Arcade, is chock full of cool shops and restaurants (selling delicious edibles from cupcakes to coffee to pizza to Filipino fried potato-covered chicken drumsticks...yum!) and art collectives and more. We'll be running a game this Thursday evening (20 May), from about 7pm-10pm. We'll be trying out a new drop-in style of gameplay, where you don't have to be around for an entire 3 hour game but can just come by our booth in the centre of the market and pick up missions and clues. That way you can come have a wander and meet some fun people, but if you want to stop for a snack we totally understand.

You'll be able to take the usual Go Game creative photos and videos, some of which we'll screen in one of the stalls and the rest of which we'll upload to our website. We'll be working with some talented shop owners and students and artists to plan the game, so come check it out!

Here's the info from the Facebook event:

'On Thursday 20 May, from 7 – 10pm, Brixton Village (aka Granville Arcade) will be showcasing some of London’s best interactive escapades and technology-fuelled fun as The Go Game hits the covered market!

As part of the new Late Night Thursday Market programme, Space Makers agency has invited The Go Game to produce one of their creative and innovative adventure games in the Night Market. Small teams will read ‘missions’ on a mobile phone, sending them to discover hidden secrets, seek out new shops, and create their own photos and videos in response to the quirks of this uniquely playful and DIY environment.

Players might encounter a local artist with a secret password, a vintage store proprietor with an intriguing secret, or a Jamaican chef with a delicious surprise! The creatively challenging location-based game all ends with a viewing of the photos and videos taken throughout the evening, where players will get to vote on the most brilliant submissions in a special one-night pop-up presentation room. You’ll make new friends, you’ll laugh, you will have the opportunity to eat at one of ten restaurants serving food from all around the world (bring your own alcohol), you’ll get a firsthand look at the magic and mystery of Brixton Village, and you’ll have a massive amount of fun. '

Come play with us and the rest of the cool folks of Brixton Village. Hope to see you there!

The Big Kid London Easter Hunt is EGGstra EGGcellent!

Sorry, we can't stop ourselves with the Easter puns. We know everyBUNNY is HOPing we'll stop, but we're just so EGGcited about how EGGstraordinarily fun the Big Kid London Easter Hunt was on Saturday! We're pretty EGGstatic about it.

PICNIC - Best. Conference. Ever.

The Go Game has done quite a few conferences in our time. There was the 3200 person extravaganza in Dallas and the crazy 72-hour free for all at SXSWi this past March. But no conference we've been a part of compares to PICNIC, held just a few weeks ago in Amsterdam.

The Go Game Does igfest

We were in Bristol last weekend for the amazing igfest 09 games festival. Before the recap, we'd like to take a minute to acknowledge the wonderful people from Simon Games and Pervasive Media Studio. Special thanks should also go to The Simons, Richard and the amazing Helen.

Now let's talk about us! We created a modified Go Game that was shortened to 90 minutes and included almost no location-based missions. The modified format didn't do anything to hamper the creativity or the hilarity of teams like The Pretty Committee:


It's all about perspective. The Pretty Committee imagines a monster attacking Bristol

Games, Games, and More Games!

Check out this awesome awesome video about the Hide & Seek Weekender featuring all our UK gaming friends like Alex, Holly, Simon 1, Simon 2 (sadly not Simon 3), our best buddy Tob, and a bit of The Go Game! We're at minute 1:30 and I am sounding particularly unable to speak the English language. But hey. At least we look damn good in our orange boiler suits.

Video is originally posted here with more info.

Hide&Seek Weekender 2009 from Hide and Seek on Vimeo.

Go Game Writeup on the Kiva Blog

For some hilarious player perspective on the Kiva Go Game a few weeks ago, check out our friend Kieran's take on the game. His writeup (with photos and links and all that good stuff) was originally published on the Kiva Blog.

Go Game for Good: Saturday Night Kiva!!!

To be precise, it was more like a Saturday afternoon. But it was certainly a smoking hot, disco ball-glittering, early John Travolta suaveness, flashing dance floor kind of extravaganza when we put a Go Game together in support of Kiva this weekend.

Go Game at the Hide and Seek Weekender at Southbank Centre!

What do you get when you combine over 2000 people, 75 games, thumb wrestling, huge balloon sculptures, werewolves and monsters, sleazy politicians, and The Go Game? Welcome to the truly fabulous Hide & Seek Weekender 2009, a 3 day festival of social and pervasive games that took place at the Royal Festival Hall, part of the Southbank Centre on the Thames.

Community Game Recap: The Super American Spectacular Go Game!

WOOOHOOO! AMERICA!!

The Go Game UK and Europe hosted the Super American Spectacular Go Game this weekend! As a community game open to the public, it was a fantastic Saturday getting everyone to get together to have a good time. For the U.S. expats in the crowd, it was a chance to honor the 4th of July and American independence back home. For everyone else, it was a unique opportunity to take the piss out of those bloody Americans by celebrating the best and the worst of the good old U.S. of A.

First London Community Game

Man oh man oh man. Saturday's community game was, in my humble opinion, SERIOUSLY FREAKING AWESOME (frawsome!). Around 120 of the most energetic, most creative, most irreverent, most wannabe-nudist people in London showed up in the City to get their Go Game on and it turned out to be one of the funniest and FUNNEST community games we've ever had the pleasure to run (yes, I know that's not a word, but it deserves to be). Chris and I are so psyched that the first London Go Game went off with a bang, thanks to the contributions of so many cool people. Here's a quick recap of how things went down, and few of our our favorite creative submissions from the day. Get ready for some hilariousness.

Community Game Countdown - Volume V

Well here it is boys and girls, our favourite Community Game photo. But some business before we get into that. We've reached our max capacity for tomorrow's Community Game! Yaaaay! That means lots of fun, but lots of organisation. So some details:

1. Check your emails from something from info@thegogame.co.uk - that has detailed instructions!
2. Be at the CosmoBar (Google Maps) tomorrow at 12:30 PM! If we don't get you registered because you're late, you can't play. And we keep your MASSIVE £4 donation.
3. Be cool and be creative. But you didn't need to hear me say that. Instead, you could just look at all of our best Community Game photos!

To recap:

Community Game Countdown - Volume IV

It's getting to be the weekend. What are you doing this Saturday? Maybe you're on your way down to Brighton or maybe heading west to Bath. But if you're bored and in London and want to have the. time. of. your. life. Then you should come out to The Go Game Community Game. We will guarantee two of the following things:

1. You will be attacked by a bear
2. You will meet your future spouse
3. You will win 10 million dollars*
4. You will have the time of your life
5. The Queen will be there

*Zimbabwean dollars

So we'll see you Saturday, but if you're feeling Winehousian and just need a fix - We're back for another exciting installment of....

THE TOP 5 COMMUNITY GAME PHOTOS OF ALL TIME: #2

Community Game Countdown - Volume III

All aboard the Community Game game train! There are only 3 days left to sign up, so what are you waiting for? Do you need a reminder? Something for your Calendar? A photo of a sad kitty :(? What about an obnoxious banner with blindingly annoying text?

That still didn't do it for you? Well maybe you should check out...

THE TOP 5 COMMUNITY GAME PHOTOS OF ALL TIME: #3

Community Game Countdown - Volume II

I know all you loyal blog readers out there are constantly hitting refresh to find out what sort of craziness the 2nd installment (see the first photo here) of

BEST
COMMUNITY GAME
PHOTOS
EVER

will bring. I'm happy to oblige. For those n00bs, a Community Game is a Go Game that is open to the public. To celebrate our London Office's Launch we're offering a mind blowingly low, hide-the-women-and-children-please-don't-tell-our-accountants rate of just £4 / player. For more info check it out at the Community Game page. But enough with the shameless self promotion...on to:

THE TOP 5 COMMUNITY GAME PHOTOS OF ALL TIME*: #4

Community Game Countdown

Your first task this Monday is to define Community Game

Community Game: n. - a rip-roaringly, pants-soilingly exciting public Go Game that's the most fun you can have legally.*

*Please keep it legal, our lawyers will thank you.

To experience this one-of-a-kind madness come out this Saturday for The Go Game's London Launch. To ensure that you get a spot, make sure to register online here. The game is limited to the first 150 people to sign up...so bring 149 friends. Check-in and registration on Saturday begins at 12:30 PM at Cosmobar at 50 Clerkenwell Rd EC1M 5PS (Google Maps, "Double True").

In honor of our first Community Game in the UK we're going to count down the top 5 photos from the US Public Games over the years. Well, the family appropriate piccies at least. We'll release one per day this week, to tease you a little bit and get you all primed and ready to go for Saturday. So without further ado:

THE TOP 5 COMMUNITY GAME PHOTOS OF ALL TIME: #5

Hello London!

The Go Game has hit the ground in London and is ready to R-O-C-K your socks off! The incredibly talented Mei and the impossibly attractive (if I do say so myself) Chris are here for all of your team building, marketing and training needs.


Your Newest Heroes

We've got a London office all set to go and will be kicking off our London existence with the Greatest. Day. Of. Your. Lives.: the first London Community Game.