Sleeper Cell from Cancer Research UK

Back in December I wrote about Cancer Research UK developing an ARG to help promote themselves and their fundraising. Mike, one of the people behind the game that won the contest, noticed the post and sent me a mail to let me know that Sleeper Cell has now gone live.

(image from press pack, used with permission)

This is the first game I’ve seen for charity with the aim of raising money.

Operation: Sleeper Cell, launching on Tuesday 23rd September, is the world’s first massively multiplayer game designed to raise money for charity. Created by Law 37, Operation: Sleeper Cell will see teams of players from around the world working together to solve ‘puzzle cells’ in a grid. By donating money to the game, they can unlock extra cells for all players, and also advance the story, which takes place over websites, blogs, Twitter and even in real life.

Adrian Hon, part of Six to Start, is a key player in getting this off the ground and wrote about the process

I have no idea how much money it might raise. I have no idea how many players it will attract. But I am glad that Law 37 has created Operation: Sleeper Cell, since it shows that games – this game – can aspire to help everyone in the world, not merely through awareness or education, but through cold, hard cash. It breaks down an old stereotype of gamers as antisocial kids, and builds up a new one, of responsible, creative, and caring mothers, fathers, teachers, writers, artists and programmers.

It’s all about changing the way things are done, changing how people think about fundraising. I’m all up for it – I just need to get a team!