From Meetup Host to Game Creator: The Gold Hunt Story

What is Gold Hunt?

Gold Hunt is a fast-paced social deduction game, similar to Werewolf or Mafia, but designed to get people talking and engaged very quickly. The goal is to spark conversation and help people get to know each other while keeping everyone involved the entire time.

The mechanics are inspired by the simple, high-energy style of games like Exploding Kittens, but with a focus on intentional questions and curiosity, similar to We're Not Really Strangers.

How did you come up with the idea?

After moving to Austin, I realized I had fallen into a routine and wanted to meet new people and try new things. I started going to meetups, then decided to host my own events.

I created a weekly series called Hustle & Play where people would co-work on side projects for an hour, then switch to games afterward. It became a consistent way to meet new people and build community. From there, I started other event series like Recess & Play on Saturdays and Wellness & Play — a yoga class and a DJ session afterwards.

What I loved most about all of it were the conversations that came out of those gatherings. The curiosity, the questions, the connections. That's when I started thinking — how do I bottle this up into a game and make it more intentional? That eventually became Gold Hunt.

Why does Austin feel like the perfect place for something like this?

Austin really values intentionality and connection. People are constantly moving here and looking to meet others, and there's such a strong builder culture.

A lot of the people who play test the game end up contributing ideas from their own experiences, which makes Gold Hunt better. It feels very collaborative. There's also this openness to experimenting, whether that's with community events, creative projects, or even new tools like AI. That mindset makes Austin a great place to build something new.

How can people get involved?

You can follow Play ATX on Instagram to come to events and play test the game. Grace is also running a Kickstarter to help with manufacturing costs.

If people want to help in other ways, marketing is a big one. Anyone who's great with video, storytelling, or spreading the word would be amazing. And of course, anyone who just wants to come play is always welcome.