How to Win

About

How to Win is an episodic adventure game where players help shape the story through choices and submissions. Each chapter presents dialogue options and moral dilemmas before asking for broader ideas on how the plot should progress. Players submit suggestions via a form, and the community votes on the next direction. The winning idea becomes the focus of the following chapter while other proposals appear in smaller roles. Set in a stylized world with visual novel pacing, it blends text-driven narratives with occasional minigames inspired by clicker, tycoon, and RPG mechanics. New episodes dropped regularly during the 2020 summer release window. Developed by Hidden Track, a UK theatre group with multiple awards, the game mirrors live performance energy through collaborative storytelling. Players don’t just pick dialogue but redefine the game’s core goals, like deciding if victory means slaying a dragon or maximizing wealth. The open-ended design encourages unpredictable outcomes, with player contributions directly altering the experience for all. Over 1000 suggestions were collected during early testing phases, showing strong community engagement. Its hybrid approach mixes narrative freedom with lightweight gameplay, appealing to fans of interactive fiction with a participatory twist.

Storyline

Hello. Welcome to our game. In this game, you decide the rules. And before we start any game, we need to know How to Win. Maybe we win by Making the Most Money? Maybe we win if we Slay the Dragon? Or maybe it’s by doing something we haven’t even thought of yet. Let’s decide together. ‘How to Win’ is a new episodic online game made in collaboration with you, the player. Each new episode will be created in response to your suggestions which are voted for by the public. Give us your ideas, vote on your favourites, shape or derail the future of our story. Can we find a way that everyone can win?