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What is 'The Game'?

The rules are pretty simple:

• Everyone is playing The Game.

• Whenever you think about The Game, you lose.

• When you lose, you must inform at least one other person and say, "I lost The Game".
  
  

This means there is no way to win The Game. Players can only try to go as long as possible without losing.

After losing, you have 30 minutes to forget about The Game before you can lose again. Once you mention The Game to another person, they also become part of The Game.

The goal of The Game is to forget about The Game. Since this is nearly impossible, you can also try to get everyone on Earth to play.

The Origins of The Game

The exact origins of The Game are not known, but it is believed to have emerged in the early 2000s. The Game became particularly known in English-speaking countries in the years following 2007, but its influence spread worldwide through the internet and it now resurfaces online from time to time.

So, How Do You Play The Game?

Well, since the game is unwinnable, one can only develop strategies to make others lose. Here in Austria, the hype around the game didn't really catch on back then, unlike in other countries like America, where it was much more popular and not just seen as an internet joke. People would stick notes saying "You lost" or even spray graffiti on bridges. There were also printed T-shirts with the message "You lost The Game". During the heyday of the game, people even wrote the message on banknotes.

Personally, I find it better when such a hype fades away and then briefly resurfaces for each individual. During the hype, you're constantly reminded of The Game, and it quickly loses its appeal. It's only when hardly anyone talks about it anymore, and then you randomly think of it or come across a small online post (like this one, sorry), causing you to lose The Game, that you think: "Damn". I believe that's the true essence of The Game.

Closing Words

Now that you've just lost The Game, it's time to find a new playmate.