Looking for a free game to play here in New York that requires almost no commitment while at the same time offers fabulous prizes? Your prayers have been answered by a man dressed as a leprechaun. Once a week Bob Freedman, the man behind the game “Beat the Mob” will find a hiding spot and Tweet clues about his whereabouts, waiting for the first person to come find him and win a prize. It’s too soon to say that this new game is sweeping the city, but it is certainly creating a dedicated fan base. I spoke to Mr. Freedman, half of the duo who came up with the game only a few months ago.
He and his partner, who prefers to remain out of the spotlight, were trying to figure out something that college kids could enjoy here in the city. They settled on a kind of scavenger hunt where clues would be given out over twitter. The goal was to create something that required only about an hour of dedication while rewarding knowledge of the city. “It’s really a New York City game for New York City people,” Bob explained when we spoke.
One of the big questions “Beat the Mob” faced after settling on a formula was where their prizes would come from. Freedman contacted some local businesses who were more than happy to help in exchange for some free publicity. The prize for last weeks hunt was 10 free tickets to Stand-Up New York. So far the rewards are much more eclectic than the hiding spots, which are all very tourist friendly. For a game that is supposed to reward knowledge of New York, places like Radio City Music Hall, Union Square, and Madison Square Garden all seem very vanilla. Hopefully, as more hunts eat up the well-known landmarks, the locations will have to become more inventive.
Freedman told me it was difficult to figure out how many people have been participating each week but that the number is definitely on the rise. The hunts themselves seem to be getting solved at a quicker pace. The first one took over an hour and a half before someone found the leprechaun, where as the latest one clocked in at just over 45 minutes. Though, with a combined following on Facebook and Twitter of only around 300 people it would seem like there are still a few weeks where this competition will be relatively easy. Even if you aren’t one of the lucky winners, “Beat the Mob” is still one of the few ways to have a bit of fun with some friends in this city for free. Check out this video for more of a look at the game.
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