A gift you play
Their life, turned into a video game.
15 to 25 minutes in which they laugh, recognise their own life and get emotional at the end with your message. A 16-bit game written by hand from their stories, their people and their sayings.
From 59 € · You get it 7 days after we have their full story (72 h with Rush).
The demo is the game of Ramón, a made-up grandad turning 70 (in Spanish).
Why it's different
Not a template with their name on it
Some “personalised” games swap the hero's name and little else. We write a story with chapters, and what really happens in their life becomes what you play. Three examples from the demo:
What we were told“At his niece's wedding in 1998, he took the waiter carrying the four-tier cake for a pasodoble.”
What you playA rhythm minigame: you dance with the waiter to the beat… and the cake ends up on the floor, just like that day.
What we were told“His little dog Chispa eats whatever she shouldn't.”
What you playA puzzle: Chispa has the car key. You have to fill her bowl so she drops it.
What we were told“His old Seat Panda hardly ever starts: every Sunday he pushes it down the street with his friend and the neighbours.”
What you playA race against the clock pushing the Panda down the street, collecting pasodoble records on the way.
Every game is directed by a person in the studio: they write the humour for that person, play it all the way through and nothing ships without their OK. 16-bit pixel art and original music, composed for the studio.
How it works
Three steps, done
Tell us their story
A guided form of about 15 minutes: what they look like, their stories, their people, what they always say. Save it and carry on another day.
We write and build their game
We show you the script for your approval. Then we build it with their characters, their sayings and an ending with your message.
Give it to them as a link
They open it on a phone or on the TV, nothing to install. A private link and a gift card with a QR code.
What's inside
A real game, not a postcard
A short, well-rounded experience: chapters with maps, characters and an ending to remember. If they get hooked, there are secrets and ranks to play again. Screenshots from the demo.
Adventure
Their home, their street, their people. Talk to everyone, pick things up and solve their messes.
Race
Action chapters with a timer and a rank, like the old days.
Final boss
Against whatever they always fight: the phone, the alarm clock, being late.
Party on the TV
Minigames to play together and laugh in front of the TV.
Their unique moment
Every game has something that's only theirs. And an ending with your message.
On the TV
Best with the whole family watching
Play it on a phone, tablet or computer. Put it on the TV and it becomes the after-dinner plan.
Laptop + HDMI cable (most reliable).
- Connect the laptop to the TV with HDMI.
- Open this same link on the laptop.
- Play with the keyboard: arrows and E.
iPhone, iPad or Mac with AirPlay.
- Open Control Centre → Screen Mirroring.
- Pick your Apple TV or a compatible TV.
- Open this link and play on the phone: the TV shows the same thing.
Android or Chrome with Chromecast.
- In Chrome: ⋮ menu → Cast…
- Pick your TV.
- Play on the device: the TV shows the same thing.
Tip: sound through the TV and everyone watching. The game is made to be watched together.
Price
Choose their edition
You get it 7 days after we have their full story (72 h with Rush).
Adventure
59 €
Their personalised game: about 15 minutes to laugh, recognise themselves and be moved.
- 3 chapters with their people and places
- Their stories turned into game mechanics
- A clever moment made only for their game
- Ending with your message
- Private link and gift card with a QR code
- 1 round of changes
Recommended
Celebration
89 €
More game, made to share: about 25 minutes.
- Everything in Adventure, plus:
- 4 or 5 chapters
- Party mode on the TV: minigames to pass the controller
- More characters and more secrets
- Soundtrack in their musical style
- Printable QR card
- 2 rounds of changes
Special commission
from 179 €
For groups and big moments: weddings, retirements with the whole team, farewells.
- Everything in Celebration, plus:
- Several heroes or a longer story
- Custom requests
- 3 rounds of changes
- If your commission needs more, we'll quote it before we start
Rush 72 h · +40 € Adds to any edition: you get it 72 hours after we have their full story.
Give it as a group: a 179 € Special commission split between six friends is under 30 € each. One person pays and you split it however you like.
You pay when you order. Before building it we show you the script: if it doesn't convince you, we refund 100 %.
Your game will stay online for at least 5 years from delivery; if we ever had to take it down, we'll warn you well in advance and give you a way to keep it.
Changes
What changes include
Before building the game we show you the script: you can change anything there. Once the game is built, you get 1 round of changes with Adventure, 2 with Celebration and 3 with the Special commission.
Included in a round
- Texts and lines
- Names
- Appearance details (hair, glasses, clothes…)
- The chosen music
- Small reorderings
Quoted separately
Adding chapters or new mechanics after the script is approved. If you want that, we'll quote it.
Questions
What people usually ask
What is it, exactly?
A gift you play: 15 to 25 minutes in which the person laughs, recognises their own life and gets emotional at the end with your message. If they like, there are secrets and ranks to play again.
How much is it?
Adventure, 59 €. Celebration, 89 €. Special commission, from 179 €. 72-hour rush delivery adds 40 €.
How long does it take?
You get it 7 days after we have their full story (72 h with Rush).
Can I ask for changes?
Yes. Before building the game we show you the script: you can change anything there. Once the game is built, you get 1 round of changes with Adventure, 2 with Celebration and 3 with the Special commission. Rounds cover texts, lines, names, appearance details, the music and small reorderings. Adding chapters or new mechanics after the script is approved is quoted separately.
Can several of us give it together?
Give it as a group: a 179 € Special commission split between six friends is under 30 € each. One person pays and you split it however you like.
How long will it be available?
Your game will stay online for at least 5 years from delivery; if we ever had to take it down, we'll warn you well in advance and give you a way to keep it.
How is it different from other personalised games?
We don't paste their name on a template: we write a story with chapters from their real stories, and what happens in their life becomes game mechanics. A person in the studio directs it and plays it all the way through. 16-bit art and original music.
What do you do with the photos and stories?
Photos are only used to draw the pixel portraits. They are never published and we delete them once the game is delivered. The stories are used only for their game.
Who can play it?
Whoever has the link. It's private, not in search engines and there's no public gallery. If it leaks, we swap it for a new one.
When do I pay?
You pay when you order. Before building it we show you the script: if it doesn't convince you, we refund 100 %.
Does it need installing?
No. It's a web page: open the link on a phone, tablet, computer or TV.
Which languages?
Spanish and English. If you need another language, write to us.
Who would yours be for?
Make theirsMade with ♥ in Valencia
YOU THE GAME is the side project of TECOMA LABS, the Valencia team behind acoustic engineering software. We make it with a lot of love and the same obsession with getting every detail right.
That's why the contact is hola@tecomalabs.com: there's a real company behind it, one that invoices, answers and stands by its work. Write to us and a person replies, no forms, no sales reps.