Startup Trail
Quick Info
- Platform: desktop browser
- Players: single player
- Duration: 30 Minute Session
- Client: Engine
- Collaborators: Copia Gaming
- Released: April, 2022
Game Overview
Startup Trail is a browser-based games in which you explore policy issues facing startups and tech companies. You play as a startup founder and navigate a series of thorny dilemmas as you grow your company. Your decisions have consequences and you’ll need to balance cash, user growth, and internal capabilities if you want to survive long enough to win the game.
Goal
The goal of game was to create a playful way of exploring the topics in Engine’s annual Startup Agenda report. We translated the key insights from the report into in-game dilemmas and provide players links to the relevant sections of the report if they want to learn more.
Outcome
Over 25,000 users have played Startup Trail and many shared their results on social media, including famous tech executives and policy makers. We received favorable press coverage including in The Verge. Engine also brought the game to Congress where they ran it with congressional staffers.
You can listen to the collaborators discussing the game on this Techdirt podcast episode.