Peter Molyneux’s “social experiment” in how to monetize trolling, Curiosity – what’s inside the cube, came to an end today as the final cubelet was smashed by a finger belonging to an unknown person in the UK.
Curiosity – what’s inside the cube launched on November 6, 2012 and continued for just over seven months on the iOS and Android platforms before the cube was opened on May 26, 2013. In total, players broke 69 billion cubelets, spread out on the 325 different layers of the cube.
For all but that one UK player — who, we are guessing, just downloaded the app for the first time today without even knowing what it was for — starting up Curiosity will reveal the inside of a box that is displaying slightly angry tweets with the hash tag #whatsinsidethecube.
Additionally, there is the following message from the developers, 22Cans:
“The cube has opened. Thanks for taking part in our experiment. Follow future experiments from @22Cans.”
There have been no clues as to what was inside the cube, other than Molyneux’s statement last year it would “change” the life of whoever gets to the center. That could mean any number of things, and it is important to keep in mind that the promise was made by a developer who is infamous for making and breaking promises about his video games — so, there is a good chance that it wasn’t really all that spectacular.
At any rate, it is up to this one mystery UK player to tell us all what was actually inside the cube. If he or she doesn’t share, all we are going to be left with is an empty box full of angry Twitter messages. Which, in a way, is its own reward.
About an hour before the cube was opened, Peter Molyneux Tweeted the following note to thank everyone for participating:
Before the finish I won’t to thank everyone, even the haters for taking part in curiosity. It’s been a magical journey,Thank you one and all
— peter molyneux (@pmolyneux) May 26, 2013
We will let you know if and when the person who broke the final cubelet in Curiosity – what’s inside the cube comes forward to tell us all the big surprise.
[Update] 22Cans has announced that the winner of Curiosity is Bryan Henderson of Edinburgh, Scotland. A Youtube video of a tiny Peter Molyneux (embedded below) explains that Henderson will “be the god of all people who are playing [their new game] Godus.” This will allow Henderson to decide “the rules of all people” playing the game, and share in some of the profits.