Everyone from Chrissy Teigen to Blink-182 is freaking out about a 'goose game' - one look at the bizarre new game explains why

Advertisement
Everyone from Chrissy Teigen to Blink-182 is freaking out about a 'goose game' - one look at the bizarre new game explains why

Advertisement
Untitled Goose Game

House House/Panic

Do you see the goose? The goose sees you.

  • Everyone is talking about a "goose game."
  • The game, named "Untitled Goose Game," just launched on Nintendo Switch and PC/Mac for $20. In the days since it launched, "Untitled Goose Game" has become a viral hit.
  • But why? Why is this goose game suddenly so popular? Because of what it is: An opportunity to mess with people unapologetically - as a horrible, no-good goose with an attitude problem.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

"As a contrarian, I wanted to hate goose game," model and TV star Chrissy Teigen wrote on Twitter this weekend. "But I LOVE IT," she said.

"Who plays goose game?!" Blink-182 bassist and singer Mark Hoppus yelled at concertgoers over the weekend. "I love that game!"

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Between September 20 and the onset of October, "Untitled Goose Game" rose from obscurity to celebrity. There are goose memes, and viral GIFs, and fan art. It's having something of A Moment™. 

So, uh, what the heck is going on? Why do people keep responding to your texts with the word "honk"? Here's the deal with "Untitled Goose Game," available for $20 on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac:

Advertisement

Exclusive FREE Report: Brand Investment in eSports by Business Insider Intelligence

{{}}

Everything in "Untitled Goose Game" — from the art style to the controls — is blessedly accessible.

Everything in "Untitled Goose Game" — from the art style to the controls — is blessedly accessible.

There are very few controls to learn in "Untitled Goose Game."

You move your goose, and you make your goose lower its head, and you grab things with your bill — and you honk, of course. So, so much honking.

There are some tasks to complete, and plenty of humans to terrorize, but that's about it.

The game's premise is simple as well: Geese are jerks, and they exist to mess with human beings.

The game's premise is simple as well: Geese are jerks, and they exist to mess with human beings.

You could, ostensibly, just float around in the water and hang out in "Untitled Goose Game." You do you, by all means.

But the game sets out a set of very simple tasks, such as forcing a scared child into a telephone booth, or dragging a rake into a lake, or building yourself a goose picnic (out of stolen items from nearby humans).

In so many words, it's a game about cause and effect. You, as a goose, cause havoc, and the humans around you deal with the effects of that havoc.

Advertisement

It's easy to understand why people are enjoying "Untitled Goose Game" so much — it's ostensibly a simple game about messing with people.

It's easy to understand why people are enjoying "Untitled Goose Game" so much — it's ostensibly a simple game about messing with people.

Between the playful art style, charming music, and silly-looking goose, causing havoc as the goose feels exactly as cathartic as you might expect. It's a sheer joy terrorizing the vaguely British stereotypes of the game's storybook world.

There are no guns, or high scores, or loot boxes to open — it's just you, as a goose, messing with the people of the world in relatively basic ways that almost always made me laugh out loud.

The image above is a perfect example.

The goal was simply stated as "Get on TV" The issue, of course, is you're a goose. What TV? With what camera? Aha, the store with TVs in the front window! But how to get inside?

It's this kind of logical puzzle solving that "Untitled Goose Game" is rife with — but the thing you're solving for, always, is "how to mess with people."

But, really, you should see this game in action:

Advertisement
Next StoryCybersecurity experts warn that these 7 emerging technologies will make it easier for hackers to do their jobs