SINGAPORE, March 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With COVID-19 already leaving an indelible mark this year on many countries around the globe, and with rising cases across Singapore requiring more precautions, local gamification startup Sqkii has responded to the crisis with a new online game, #FightTheVirus. The game, which can be accessed on https://fightthevirus.sqkii.land/, aims to educate players on ways everyone can contribute to help limit the spread of this virus. #FightTheVirus is the first game of its kind in Singapore and is one of the first online games in the world created in direct response to the COVID-19outbreak.
Stay United and Work Together to Fight the Virus!
Inspired by 2D platform games like Super Mario Bros. or Chrome's T-Rex game, #FightTheVirus is a simple game that takes players through a linear world of obstacles and power-ups, related to COVID-19 or other societal concerns. Every three to five days, an attractive non-cash prize will be awarded to the adventurer who has obtained the highest score within that qualifying period, by avoiding the virus and other dangerous objects in the game.
During the game, a mouse will sprint forward, towards the right of the screen, moving past objects like surgical masks and viruses. The player can tap on the screen to make the mouse jump, either to collect an object overhead or to avoid dangerous obstacles. There is a range of objects that may either help or hinder the player's survival, and it is up to them to discover the full list of obstacles and power-ups. The longer the player survives, the higher their score will be.
Should the player lose, for example, in the case of encountering fake news, they will be shown a reason why their actions would have been detrimental in real life. To restart the game, the player has to tap on the yellow box and reveal an educational message on what they can do to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, or any other societal concern, in line with official government sources.
Each qualifying period and its corresponding prize will be announced beforehand, within the game itself, and on Sqkii's Facebook and Instagram pages. The attractive prizes include an Apple watch, a Dyson hair dryer and even a Nintendo Switch.
Bringing Some Lighthearted Encouragement in the Midst of a Crisis
"Ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been so much negativity, especially on social media - from daily reports on new confirmed cases to panic buying and mistrust," says Mr Kenny Choy, Co-Founder of Sqkii.
"As often mentioned, we must fight this virus both on the medical front and the psychological front. We hope that through this light-hearted casual game, filled with humour and educational messages, we can play our part to galvanise the broader community to help contain the spread of this virus together."
#FightTheVirus started on 17 February 2020 and will end when either COVID-19 has been successfully contained, or all prizes have been fully redeemed.
Please refer to Appendix A for an announcement by Sqkii, Appendix B for instructions on how to access the game, and Appendix C for examples of obstacles and power-ups found in the game.
About Sqkii
Sqkii (pronounced 'squeaky') is a Singapore startup that specialises in applying gamification to solve real-world problems. Founded in 2012 by three then-undergraduates, Mr Kenny Choy, Mr Marcus Ng and Mr Eleazar Lim, Sqkii faced numerous setbacks. Their first island-wide Hunt The Mouse in 2017 started out as a last-ditch attempt to revive their business, but has now turned into a rigorous and effective out-of-home marketing opportunity. Over the last three years, the game has attracted over half a million players with over $280,000 found by Sqkii players. The company has also partnered with brands including OCBC Bank, Domino's Pizza and Resorts World Sentosa to launch innovative and engaging gameplays to reach out to new and old customers. For more information, visit http://www.sqkii.com/. For the latest updates, follow Sqkii on social media platforms -- Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sqkii/) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/sqkiimouse/).
Appendix A: #WheresTheBox announcement
Back in January, a blue box containing a huge sum of money was hidden in the kingdom of BeuBeu (also known as Resorts World Sentosa). Unfortunately, the owner of the box, Percii, had forgotten where he had hidden it. As a result, he had invited all adventurers to help him find the box, while the finder gets to keep all the cash in it. He cannot remember exactly how much is in the box, but he is certain that the amount lies somewhere between S$41,582 and S$81,542.
Today, Queen Nancii, the current ruler of the kingdom of BeuBeu, has announced that this virtual treasure hunt game #WheresTheBox will be put on hold until further notice, to protect adventurers from possible health risks associated with COVID-19.
As soon as the ongoing virus situation has been contained, adventurers may resume finding the box for Percii at https://wheresthebox.sqkii.land.
Appendix B: How to access and play the game
As this is a web game, players can access the game via this URL https://fightthevirus.sqkii.land/ on their mobile web browser. Players will first be required to download the Be.U application from the Apple Store or Google Play and sign up for a free Be.U account to start playing the game.
Here are the instructions on how to access and play #FightTheVirus:
Appendix C: Examples of obstacles and power-ups
Obstacle/Power-up |
Effect |
Surgical Mask |
Protects you from the virus |
Virus |
Game over if you encounter a virus without a surgical mask |
Facial Mask |
Game over if you encounter a virus wearing a facial mask |
Soap |
Game over if you missed it, reminding you to wash your hands |
Mosquito |
Game over as you have contracted Dengue Fever |
Fake News |
Game over as this causes panic and confusion |
