Alternate Reality Game to benefit cancer research: Sleeper Cell

Adrian sez

Last week, the world's first massively multiplayer game/alternate reality game designed to raise money for charity launched. It's called Operation: Sleeper Cell, and it's in aid of Cancer Research UK.

In the game, teams of players work 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.

There are many ARGs that help raise awareness of issues, like the excellent World Without Oil or the British Red Cross' new Traces of Hope ARG, but with Operation: Sleeper Cell, we want to show that these games can produce a concrete, measurable good – cold, hard cash to help cure cancer. Since launch, we've already raised almost $2000.

Operation: Sleeper Cell's development also takes a leaf from open source principles: everyone working on the game is an unpaid volunteer – they're all doing it in their spare time, because they're passionate about making games and helping cure cancer. We also aim to release development materials once the game is over. So this game really shatters the old stereotypes of gamers being mindless entertainment for antisocial kids, and shows that they really can be a force for good.

I'm not actually a developer on Operation: Sleeper Cell – I just helped get the team (Law 37) together, and got Cancer Research UK interested in the idea. Personally, I'm just incredibly proud of the team that made the game – they've given up so much of their time and worked so hard. They show that it's not just Obama's supporters who can organise and raise money – us Brits can do it too!

The game is completely free to play, so feel free to join up, try a few missions and create a team – and if you're having fun, donate some money and unlock more missions! There's also a brilliant and thoroughly British story to follow, one of biscuit-eating and tea-drinking spies at The Agency coming together to active their sleeper cells and defeat the forces of 'E.V.I.L.' once and for all!