Working Week: How Townsville Created a 4-Day Campus-Wide Adventure
Client
What the customers say:
"You can really tell that all these people put their heart and their soul into this and their enthusiasm makes the game so much better."
The Challenge: Energizing an Entire Campus
Working Week brings thousands of Google DeepMind employees from around the world onto one campus. Our challenge was to make it feel like more than a series of meetings.
DeepMind wanted an experience that employees could stumble into, not opt into — something that sparked spontaneous connection across teams, rewarded curiosity, and gave people a genuine reason to step away from their screens.
The brief: build something woven so deeply into the workday that the actual campus becomes the game.
The Handstand Magic: Welcome to Townsville
Our fictional town spanned four themed neighborhoods, 100+ custom quests, and a multi-day narrative brought to life by actors, daily newspapers, and larger-than-life puzzle installations.
Every detail was designed so that anyone who walked by could start playing immediately. Some highlights include;
• Interactive Truck – 1954 Ford F100
• Moving Truck 3D Tetris
• Custom Web App
• AI Avatar Generation
• Daily Newspapers
Case Study Video
Custom Web App
A custom digital platform brought Townsville to life — from real-time riddle tracking and dynamic leaderboards to Gemini-powered avatar creation.
Branded Avatar Generation
Participants generated on-theme animated characters using Handstand's custom service backed by Gemini. Over 300 unique avatars were created.
Large Installations
The Puzzle Car
A tricked-out 1954 Ford F100 challenged players to unlock secrets. Kick a tire → the radio plays a song. Touch a bumper sticker → the LED mirror lights up marquee text. Configure the external battery → the car starts running!
Brenda's Boxes
A larger-than-life challenge had participants playing a giant game of 3D Tetris, and was one of the most talked-about puzzles of the week.
Immersive Characters
Townsville residents brought the game to life by welcoming guests, running live quests, and making everyone feel like a VIP through repeated interactions.
The Daily Newspaper
The Townsville Tattler was printed fresh every night! The papers propelled the narrative forward, featuring player-generated content and hidden puzzles.
Golden Prizes
Players that earned their spot in the top 10 were gifted keys to Townsville by Mayor Crater himself.
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