Over the weekend, while I was sun-burning the top of my newly shaved head, other people were continuing to tap away at Curiosity, the mobile “game” that Peter Molyneux's 22 Cans released around six months ago. However, like my ability to have hot showers, that game was coming to an end and the final cubelet was tapped away by 18 year old Bryan Henderson, who became the “winner” of Curiosity. Much was teased about what would be at the centre, that it would be “life-changing” for the one that found it. While it won't blow anyone away or be that big of a surprise, there are some interesting nuances to the prize.
As you might expect, money is involved, though 22 Cans won't be handing out a lump sum. Instead, Bryan Henderson will be made the digital god, of Godus. He'll receive a cut of the profits of the game – which Molyneux describes as a small percentage – but more than that, he'll be the living, breathing god of the game's gods. Every person that plays will be a god in their own right, but Henderson will be their god.
I can't help but feel Molyneux will be like Burt Reynolds, during that limo ride in Boogie Nights. “No, no, make it sexy.”
To what extent his powers will be, nobody knows at this point, but it sounds as if he really wants to, he could wreck everyone's games at a whim. The profit sharing of course is a gently poke to helping gameplay expand rather than just destroy any upstart, young deities, but a quick reign of terror now and again would certainly get the talking heads yapping and would therefore help promote the game.
While simply gifting this impressive power to a single player over night is an interesting concept, it's not unheard of for real world individuals to have massive in-game pull. Just look at Eve and the amount of times certain players have screwed over their team mates. The in-game banker that sold everyone's money. Or the guys that cut an opponents power, making it impossible for him to play. Does Henderson have a future as a wanted man after wiping out a disgruntled god's hard fought for digital resources?
If you were hoping to win the prize Henderson has received, it probably won't help to know that he only downloaded the game about an hour before winning it.
KitGuru Says: While we don't know all the details yet, this will be interesting to see how it plays out. Will Henderson be contracted to make changes or affect the game world for the foreseeable future? Will he grow mad with power? Or will Godus flop and soon nobody will care? What do you guys think? [Cheers Wired]