Fans of the television show Lost will remember that a big part of season 2 revolved around the pushing of a button. Every 108 minutes you had to enter numbers and push the button or the world might end, was the line of thought. Of course, as time went on, people started to wonder if it wasn’t just some psychological experiment. A new iPhone game that involves pushing a button, is a psychological exercise, of sorts.
Called Button, the game is about as simple as they come. There is a big button on the screen, and when it lights up, you push it. So why would anyone want to play that game? No, the world isn’t going to end if you don’t, but you will potentially miss out on some free prizes. And pushing the button may just help you get through some mundane tasks throughout your day as well.
Button was created by Blank Software, which is a side project of MobileCrunch editor Greg Kumparak. He thinks of it as a passive game, that you pick up and play at various points throughout the day. But he notes that while they were testing it out, they began to notice feedback from testers mentioning that playing the game helped them with their normally mundane tasks at their jobs. The thought is that the effort required to open up and play Button on the iPhone was just enough brain stimulation to keep people engaged in whatever boring tasks they may be doing. Also, knowing a reward was possibly coming for pushing the button made it interesting to users.
So what kind of rewards are we talking about? At first, there will be things like $20 gift cards, but eventually they may include larger prizes, we’re told. And there will be plenty of things to unlock in the game; new button skins, for example. Another unlockable feature will allow you to tie your Twitter account to the button. And if you tweet out when you level up (which won’t be every time you push the button), you’ll get more points.
There will also be a leaderboard for the users with the most points, and people will be able to team up to form groups to combine their points.
Blank Software will choose random times to light the button up, and it will light up for every user around the world. And occasionally, they will randomly select one of the Button players and replace their regular button with a prize button. If they see and hit it, they’ll get the prize. If they miss it, or aren’t playing at that time, the prize will be sent back to the system to be sent out again randomly at a later time.
Button is a free app, and it will always remain free, Kumparak tells us. The plan for now is to run ads alongside the button, but he notes that if they idea takes off, they have other monetization plans as well.
Button is available in the App Store immediately.
Interesting idea. I can see lots of spin-offs from this. Got me thinking already
Not interesting! Pure advertising!
“they began to notice feedback from testers mentioning that playing the game helped them with their normally mundane tasks at their jobs”
What a weird theory! You could as well turn the light on and off, or check whether you received a text, or email, or look out of the window.
this article should have been called, “how to get attention for your mediocre iphone app” – the secret: get employed by a large coverage content site like techcrunch, teach yourself objective c in about 4 to 8 weeks and then tell michael arrington that you’d like attention for your app because it’s currently number 48 thousand in popularity with only 212 downloads…
Whatever you do, DO NOT push the red button. I repeat….
This sounds like a great way to decrease the amount of time spent working. Especially if prize buttons are worth waiting for.
Cool idea though. I’m a big LOST fan.
But I wonder if this sort of thing will really interest readers. What if you push the button say several times a day and don’t get anything in written. If it were something like combating or conquering someone, teaming up makes sense. But teaming up to push a button, really sucks.
Now, honestly tell me, who would like to face this bland red button on your iPhone screen all throughout the day? A Lost App inspired from Lost.
Yeah I agree with you.. people just getting lost in all sorts of things!
Freaky useless, I love it !
Citizens of Earth. Thank you for your participation in and acceptance of Soma, Feelies and The Hatchery. Your subservience and willingness to relinquish free thought warms our hearts.
Upon further review we have noticed that the facilities formerly knows as “conditioning centers’ were somewhat unpopular with the vibrant, obedient and docile youth of the planet.
Therefore we have decided to bring the “conditioning centers” to YOU instead!
Soon you will see a BUTTON appear on the touch screen of your hand held tethering device. As you know this device keeps you connected to the central, benevolent, all-seeing, all-knowing EYE constantly so we may track your movements, shopping habits and personal communication with others. This allows us to serve our citizens in a more timely and efficient manner.
When you see the BUTTON appear, please press it every time it lights up. You are of course free to act as you so wish but we here at central control strongly encourage all loyal citizens to PUSH THE BUTTON when it lights up. If you comply with this request you will be compensated on occasion with the possibility that you MIGHT win a $20 gift card. Isn’t that fantastic?? All you have to do is accept the BUTTON into your life.
Please remember.. the BUTTON is FREE and will always remain FREE. You are not giving anything up by entering into a relationship with the completely FREE BUTTON. You still remain a free citizen who can do as she/he chooses at any time… just don’t forget to push THE BUTTON.
If you want free money, the respect of your peers and the satisfaction that your pesky free thought and personal will will be comfortingly whittled away a sliver at a time by the BUTTON.. then please… go the app store now and obey us.
Thank you for complying with this request.
Your pal,
Mustapha
“Unbelievable. You, [subject name here], must be the pride of [subject hometown here]!”
the button is a lie
This is a joke, isn’t it? TechCrunch is going down the drain….
Agreed how did this get press coverage? The fact somebody produced this is embarrassing enough, the fact TechCrunch did a story on it….I’m speechless.
umm, it was created by a techcrunch employee, that’s why it got covered. Of course, there was absolutely no need for 500 words or so.
The fact that MG is the one that wrote about this also speaks volumes to MG’s abilities to find/write about new cool and USEFUL things…
the shiny candy like button?
you covet my ICE CREAM BAR!!!
If the point of the game is to push the red button to win prizes … won’t clicking on an advertisement navigate you away from the page and cause you to miss out on a potential prize?
I wish I had an Iphone, I could play it all day.
Everytime you push that button a cab driver in Chicago honks at someone
a candidate for the most useless post … i’m amashed i read it … still more ashamed i commented. How ashamed are you that u read my comment?
i know it’s a typo but i really like the word ‘amashed’
i might steal that from you
Sounds like you’re ashamed for everything except your bad spelling.
On hte cotnrary. I’m prowd I hvae teh cuoraeg to soljer on dsepiet my litreacy ishoos.
if you started an entire blog, writing like that.. i would read it.
sounds like a great app for brain dead lab rats that need need to be trained to push a button to get gratified.
Well I just cant seem to find it on the app store…
search for blank software llc
See: Skinner, B.F.
Playing now. Thanks for the tip. Now I can have my music playing and have something to keep my ears perked up. Maybe this will improve my productivity. wait… I’m reading techcrunch during work to find this out… hmmm…
If anyone has the next big idea for an iPhone app, I’m building http://appgigs.com to help people find iPhone developers.
Thanks,
Mark
This is so simple it’s genius
This game is strangely therapeutic. Am I the only one who feels that way?
Let me get this straight. There’s ONE button. It lights up, and maybe you press it, maybe not.
This is an app that needed testing? By more than one person?
This is really great for keeping you awake and energetic during otherwise mundane activities. Probably quite bad for when you have to think really hard on something, but that seems to be only a small percentage of my time at work, so it should be fine.
Okay I’m addicted…thanks a lot
Man. I’m so incredibly stoked to see that some people are really enjoying Button. We’re seeing tons and tons of Button presses.
I’m trying to stay out of the comments here so that I don’t look like Astroturfs McGee, but I just wanted to say: thanks for checking out our App, everyone.
Awesome! I was thinking about making an iPhone version of my site, http://clickthatbutton.com/ but it looks like they did a great job. Cheers!
There’s a bug you get if you’re in the menu when it starts making the sound and you then close the menu and click the button. The animation freezes and the coloured balls of light stay on the screen where they were and don’t go – you can still click the button though.
So does the app show ads all the time or something?
Harry “or did I miss that in the article?” Wang
I did miss it. Last paragraph.
“The plan for now is to run ads alongside the button”
Harry “I must have been interrupted or something” Wang
When the last season of Lost started back in January, I published a Lost themed iPhone app contest. Players had to push the button every 108 minutes to stay in the game. Last man standing got $1,000. Here is a link to the description:
http://www.this...undown-contest/
After the contest ended, I got a call from Apple telling me that they were banning contests going forward.
–Mike
I think this app is pretty cool. Im already at 2560 but i think there needs to be more skins and items. So far ive just gotten a bunch of achievements which is cool but it doesnt seem like there is any sort of reward for that. At least with new skins there is a visual reward. Good work overall though.
Yep – 1.1 should bring the skins into play and expand the items catalog. We needed to get this thing out and test it in the wild, but we’ll be following up with an update as soon as possible.
You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar and forever shall be known As The Man Who Created That Clever, Clever, Awfully Clever iPhone Game. Your children’s children have begun to be so proud.
Team bingomeat owns this game! Our whole office randomly yells ‘button’ every time it lights up. We cannot stop! Help us!
This is stupid. I predict massive failure.
This is the silliest most awesome game. I want it now!!
This is so full of WIN.
Good idea. I’ve been playing for hours, but I haven’t seen any prize buttons yet. How random and often do the prize buttons appear?
hi im doolittlesy the guy on the top of the leaderboard on buttons ive been playing for 35 hours and have not won one prize and i am getting bored there is even a glitch at level 19 that says next level in 10 billion whitch means i cant get to level 20 it sucks
join my group its for average joes that like tv its called
NITRO CIRCUS AND JACKASS im doolittlesy number 1 or 2 on the top ten list join my group.
sorry i didnt space them apart my groups called nitro circus and jackass
i changed my group its called cool peoples group im doolittlesy number 1 on the leaderboard
1550 Level 4
That’s great.
We love this app! First we thought: “Wow, procrastinating has never been easier” – but wait, it DOES help you focus.
I’m the editor in chief of Sevenmac.de, currently one of the biggest and fastest growing mac communities in Germany.
I literally ordered all my readers to install this app, because this is such a nice statement against the 17th fart app and all the other c*ap floating around in the App Store.
Right now we’re ranking second in the group overview with 62850 points. My personal account is #11 in the charts.
It’s just fun – sitting there and by commanded by some weird orb and crazy sounds and waiting for the miracle to come – classic!
Thank you Greg!
You’ve got to be kidding right! I don’t think I want to push a flashing button all day – help me to focus – b.s.
I think the game is great. A game I can actually play while I work.
Best use I’ve found for it so far though is while running on the treadmill. Talk about keeping focused. Also a lot easier to do while running than trying to play Fieldrunners.
Looking forward to the first update.