How to Win - Season One

How to Win is an anarchic adventure/gaming experiment where anyone who plays can decide the rules of the world, and which direction our story goes.

In the summer of 2020, multi-award winning interactive theatre company Hidden Track teamed with indie game dev Cael O'Sullivan for their first ever gaming experiment. We asked our players what the rules of our game should be, and if they could imagine a world in which everyone could win. We were given hundreds of suggestions and ideas, and we put the best ones to a public vote. Whatever they decided, WHATEVER it was, that was the world we made next. 

Winning suggestions included:

• Make the Most Money in the World
• Invest all our money in a potato-based pyramid scheme.
• Slay the Billionaire Dragon
• Brand new character: The Great Elephant of the North
• Brand new character: A monster drawn by a 5-year-old
• RAISE THE KRAKEN
• stealth ninja style
• Take over the media and spread propaganda.
• Run away and join the circus.

The result was… chaos.

Now, all 5 chapters of Season 1 have been compiled for itch, along with new functionality and brand new content.

Explore the world we made, find out how it ended, then tell us what to do different. Whatever you decide, that’s what happens next. Commissioned by Harrogate Theatres and HOME, Manchester.

Reviews:

 “A cleverly subversive pantomime that plays with the conventions of gaming and theatre.” Exeunt Magazine

"An amazing journey of people making insane suggestions and developers allowing those suggestions to shape their game in major ways. This is truly one of the weirdest games I’ve ever encountered. In a good way. " KillaPenguin

"A revolutionary, one-of-a-kind digital experience... How to Win: Season One is extremely special." HeyPoorPlayer

“An ambitious and original experience... very well-written, and unrestricted by stereotypical notions about gamers.” Indie Hive 

 “How to Win is a game that deals with… uhh, **** how do I explain this. ****.” Indie Gamer Team