Game Introduction

Overview

Mission Viral is a live, interactive event, played by teams of 4-6 players with a game host. There are two parts to the escape room game experience:

Gameplay (30-45 minutes): Escape room game facilitated by a game host.
Debrief (15-30 minutes): Post-game discussion and activities (this is where the learning magic happens!)

Background

Mission Viral aims to support youth who are new to social media with a focus on clickbait, influencers, and the ways information spreads on social media. The game was developed through a co-design project with librarians in Ghana to address the increasing risks that Ghanaian youth face online. The game incorporates messages and cultural references that are familiar in the Ghanaian context. This game features two simplified puzzles from Euphorigen Investigation and new puzzles designed for this age group.

Take-aways:

To experience how easy it is to be influenced by attention-grabbing online content. In the game, players encounter posts designed to spark curiosity, emotion, or quick reactions.
To explore how repetition, popularity, and presentation can make information seem more believable, even when it should be questioned.
To realize that it is not always possible or practical to rely only on visual clues to judge whether an image, video, or account is authentic.
To reflect on how quickly content can spread online, and how difficult it can be to undo the effects once something has already been shared widely.
To encourage players to slow down, ask questions, and use trusted strategies or sources of help before passing information along.

Requirements

Game host: The game host starts the game, provides hints and encouragement, and facilitates the post-game debrief discussion. Game hosts should become familiar with the game beforehand.
Technology: Each team will need at least one device (laptop, tablet, phone) with internet, as there are moments in the game where players need to get information from a website to proceed.
Room set up: The room should have tables for teams of 4-6 players. Each team needs its own table and set of pencils.
Game materials: Print all game materials and prepare the kits. You only need to supply envelopes and pencils.
Projector: Useful (but not required) for displaying a timer during the game and running the debrief.

Promoting the Event

Here’s some text to use when promoting the escape room. Note: we recommend avoiding terms like "misinformation" or "fake news"

Short version

Mission Viral --Your school is competing to become the most popular in the country, and it’s your job to make that happen. Use your social media skills, solve the challenges, and help your message spread the farthest.

You may also want to add the mission

A nationwide competition has just begun to find the most popular school in the country. Your school decides to offer a prize to the student who does the best job of promoting the school. You are active on social media and believe you can use your skills to claim the prize. You get to work by researching the best ways to promote your messages. Your goal -- have your messages reach the most people to boost your school’s popularity. The fastest team to finish wins!

Promotional Materials

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