• Number of Players: 2-4 per game
• Playing Time: 90 minutes
• Required Materials:
  • Internet connection
  • Computer (recommended), phone, or tablet
  • Modern web browser (game tested in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari)
  • Audio/video calling platform of your choice
  • Game access code

We dedicate the game to all the people working towards technological justice, including our late friend Courtney Brousseau.

If you are excited about this game, we would greatly appreciate your support in the form of donations to one or both of these nonprofits.

Please consider making your donation in honor of Courtney Brousseau, so the organizations can put your contribution towards programs that he championed.

How can I host a game for my team?

1. Divide your players into teams of 2-4.
2. Schedule an hour and a half to two hours when each team can play together.
3. Create game codes for your teams using this form.
4. Get together using the video/audio calling tool of your choice.
5. Enter your code on the game website and start playing!

How long will it take to get my access code?

You can create game codes on demand using this form. We hope you will consider making a donation to one of our highlighted nonprofits!

I have more than four people, can they all play?

We recommend creating teams of four people each to play the game. Create a game access code for each team.

Turning on the leaderboard feature on our game code form is a good choice for large groups. Players that use your game codes will join your party. After finishing the game, they will be able to see how the other teams in your party did and compare results!

What is a virtual escape room?

In traditional escape room games, players are locked in a room and solve puzzles to get out before time runs out

In this virtual escape room, players explore a website looking for clues to help them make a challenging decision before time runs out. In addition to solving puzzles and completing the team objective, each player has an individual secret mission to accomplish.

After the players finish the team objective or time runs out, there will be a big reveal and a post-game discussion for players to reflect on the team outcome and their missions.

What is the game about?

Panopticon explores the ethics of surveillance technology. Players are introduced to a fictional, yet realistic, high-tech security system used to deter and catch shoplifters. The central mystery of the game and the individual secret missions serve as conversation-starters for players to reflect on the role of surveillance technology in our lives. Puzzles in the game allude to the work of surveillance scholars like Simone Brown, Shoshana Zuboff, and Joy Buolamwini.

To read more about these topics, see our post-game reading list. (Coming Soon!)

Can I preview the game?

Yes, you can watch the introduction video below, which provides a spoiler-free situation briefing and an overview of the game website.

How accessible is the game?

• Clues and puzzles designed for players at or above high school reading level.
• Game content does not require audio, other than your video/audio call.
• Images have assistive text.
• Videos have speech captions.
• Game pages can be navigated by screen reader (tested with ChromeVox).

Who created this game?

This virtual escape room was designed by Maria Gargiulo and Vinesh Kannan. Thank you to our friends from Coding It Forward for inspiration, playtesting, and feedback. We dedicate the game to our late friend Courtney Brousseau and to all the people working towards technological justice.

Have other questions not answered here?

Contact Vinesh Kannan (vingkan [at] gmail [dot] com).