Once Upon a Crime (Beta Release)

The whodunit your guests play with their phones - anywhere you can stick a QR code.

Turn your bar, your block, your festival, or your living room into a live mystery. Your guests become detectives. They walk, they scan, they accuse. One of them cracks the case. Everyone leaves with a story they'll tell at brunch.

No app downloads. No setup headaches. No improv actors in costume. Just a phone, a few QR codes, and a really good night out.

How it works (in 30 seconds)

1. You write the case. Pick a story. Mark the locations. Line up the suspects. Choose the methods. Or let our AI Story Builder draft the whole thing in 30 seconds - you edit.
2. We print the QR codes. One per location. Stick them on bars, booths, statues, conference rooms, anywhere.
3. Guests scan and accuse. They show up, scan a QR, and guess: "It was the bartender, in the speakeasy, with the poisoned martini." Wrong guesses eliminate one option at a time. The first to nail all three wins.
4. A big screen does the showmanship. Drop the live HUD on a TV at your venue. Watch the crowd react when their name shows up next to "just accused Lord Ashbury at the Conservatory."

That's the entire game. The magic is what happens around it.

What hosts use it for

• Bar crawls & brewery trails
• Restaurant weeks & food events
• Festivals, expos & trade shows
• Small business & downtown promotions
• Campus tours & open houses
• Private parties (birthdays, retirements, anniversaries)
• Holiday & themed events
• Self-guided city tours
• Corporate team building

Built-in promotion at every stop

Every QR code unlocks more than just a clue. It reveals a private message from that location - perfect for:

• Coupons, discounts, or special offers
• Sponsored messages or promotions
• Game hints or custom instructions
• Videos that play instantly upon unlock

It’s gameplay and marketing in one - driving engagement, foot traffic, and real interaction at every location.