Game of the Year

Objective

At the close of 2018, Google sought to celebrate and commemorate the year's most defining cultural moments through an interactive format. Recognizing the unique insight available through its search index—what users worldwide were curious about and seeking answers for—the brand positioned a trivia game as a playable retrospective that let audiences test their knowledge of global search behavior and viral phenomena.

Solution

Game of the Year is an interactive web-based trivia experience where players answer questions about 2018's most memorable moments and trending searches. The game uses a paired-choice format—players select between two options per question, comparing search volume and cultural impact (e.g., "who popped up in searches more: Justin Trudeau or Justin Bieber?" or "was it Laurel or Yanny?"). Powered by actual Google Search data, the game offers no stakes or progression—pure knowledge challenges rooted in real collective curiosity. Accessible at gameoftheyear.withgoogle.com, it marked Google's first gamified experience based on Search trends, developed by Google Brand Studio.

Results

Not published.