Visit real places
Players walk, bike, or drive to the stops on the game map.
A free game that brings your community together.
We'll build a Find the Idol game around your mission, your places, and your stories. Your community explores on their phones, learns what you do, and has fun along the way. It's free for local nonprofits and community groups.
We build a limited number of free games in each area, so we review every request.
What is a Find the Idol game?
Find the Idol is an outdoor adventure game played on a phone. Players visit real places around your area, check in when they arrive, and collect a digital idol at each stop. Each stop also shares a short part of a story, so players learn something new as they go.
Collect idols
Checking in at a stop adds that stop's idol to the player's collection.
Follow the story
Each stop unlocks a short chapter written around your places and your mission.
Earn points and rewards
Players earn points for every find. The game runs for about four weeks, and top players earn a reward at the end.
An idol is a collectible character made just for your game, like a small owl, a lantern, or a sea otter. Players collect them the way you might collect stamps in a passport.
There's no app to download. Players open the game in their phone's web browser, and it works for solo players, pairs, and groups of any size.
Explore an example
See a game in action.
Take a look at Monterey Bay Treasures, a sample game built around the Monterey waterfront. Take the short tour to see the story, artwork, map, and rewards that players see.
Explore the Sample GameHow it works
You bring the idea and the local knowledge. We do the design, building, and hosting.
Share your idea
Tell us about your organization, the places you love, and what you want people to learn. A rough idea is plenty to start.
We build your game
We shape the story, stops, and collectible idols around your mission, then build the game. You review it and approve it before it goes live.
Invite your community
We set up and host the game and help you plan the launch. You share it with your members, followers, and community, and we support the game while it runs.
What your organization gets
A free community game gets the same care and creativity as our paid custom games, built around what matters to your group.
Your mission, told as a story
Each stop shares a piece of your work, your history, or your cause, so players learn about you while they play.
A reason for people to show up
Use the game to bring people to your trails, sites, events, or neighborhood, and to introduce new people to your group.
A game with your name on it
Your game includes your organization's name, custom artwork, and collectible idols made for your community.
Little work on your end
We handle the design, building, setup, and hosting. We can also provide ready-to-share social media posts to help you invite your community and build excitement for your game.
Ideas for your group
Here are a few ways community groups can use a game. Have a different idea? Tell us about it in the form.
Share local history with a walking game
Lead players to historic buildings, landmarks, and stories that make your town special. A great fit for historical societies, museums, and heritage groups.
Get people out on your trails and open spaces
Guide players along the trails, parks, and preserves you care for, with a story at every stop. A great fit for land trusts, park groups, and trail volunteers.
Create a public art or mural trail
Turn your community's murals and public art into a game, and share the stories behind each piece. A great fit for arts councils and cultural groups.
Help neighbors discover your community
Welcome new residents and longtime locals alike to parks, libraries, community spaces, and local favorites. A great fit for neighborhood groups, libraries, and Main Street associations.
Build excitement for your event or fundraiser
Run a game in the weeks before your festival, open house, or fundraiser, with the last stop at your event. Players arrive curious and ready to take part.
Why we offer free community games
We're bringing Find the Idol to new communities, and local groups know their places and stories better than anyone. You share your knowledge and invite your community to play. We build the game. Together, we give people a fun reason to get outside and see what makes your area special.
Common questions
Is it really free?
Yes. For approved nonprofits and community groups, we design, build, and host the game at no cost. There are no fees later.
How much time will this take us?
Not much. Most of your time goes into a short planning conversation, reviewing the story and stops, and inviting your community to play. We handle the rest and can even provide ready-to-share social media posts to help you spread the word.
How long does a game run?
Most games run for about four weeks.
How long until our game is ready?
It depends on the size of the game, but plan on 2 weeks from our first conversation to launch.
Do we need to find businesses or sponsors?
No. Games can be built entirely around public places like parks, trails, landmarks, and murals. If local businesses want to be part of your game, we can talk about that too.
What do players win?
Players earn points for each idol they find, and top players earn a reward at the end of the game. We'll work out the rewards with you during planning.
Do players need to download an app?
No. The game runs in a phone's web browser. Players can play alone, in pairs, or in groups.
Can we include our name and logo?
Yes. Your game is built around your organization, and you review the story before it goes live.
Why isn't every request accepted?
Each game takes time and care to build, so we can only make a limited number of free games in each area. We look for ideas that fit the game well and will bring people out to explore.
We're a business. Can we still get a game?
Yes. We build paid custom games for businesses, events, and other organizations.
Tell us about your community.
Share a little about your group and the places you'd love people to discover. A rough idea is plenty.
We'll reply by email within 1 business day to talk through your idea.