The story behind HuntGo

HuntGo didn’t start with a business plan, a large development team or years of programming experience. It actually started with a much simpler thought: what did we used to do when we wanted to play? We went outside. Playing hide-and-seek, tag, chasing each other, finding our own secret places, making teams and inventing our own rules. Games so simple that children have been playing them for generations, yet they are different every time. And that is exactly where the foundation of HuntGo lies for me.

From then to now

The world has changed. Phones, games and social media have become part of everyday life, and reducing screen time is becoming more and more difficult. At the same time, I see that children are less likely to simply go outside and play the way we used to. My idea was therefore not to take technology away, but to use technology to make outdoor play exciting again. The thrill of a game, the possibilities of GPS and a smartphone, combined with something that has worked for generations: going outside and playing together. That is how the idea behind HuntGo was born.

More than just chasing

GPS chase games already exist, but what I often saw were fairly simple concepts: fun to play once or twice, but limited in what they could do and difficult to develop into something much bigger. So I didn’t want to create an app for just one game. I wanted to create a platform where new Hunts, game rules, roles, locations and challenges can continue to grow. A Hunt with friends, a family game on holiday, an activity during a school camp, a challenge with a sports team or simply a spontaneous game in your neighbourhood.

From age 6 to grandparents

From the beginning, it was important to me that HuntGo would not be made for just one age group. I especially love the idea that children, teenagers, parents and even grandparents can all play together. Not everyone has to be able to do the same things or take on the same role. One person may love running through the playing area, while someone else may prefer helping, thinking, supervising or coming up with a strategy. HuntGo should be an activity where different generations can have fun together.

And then our family became part of HuntGo

When I started thinking about the world around HuntGo, I immediately knew that I wanted recognisable characters. Not random mascots created simply because an app needs a face, but characters with personalities, backgrounds and traits that truly came from somewhere. And what could be better than finding inspiration in the people you love most? That is how Sharona, Jaylano and Jeremy became the inspiration for Rona, JayJay and JaxxJer. Their appearance was not the only inspiration; their personalities, strengths and typical traits can also be found in the HuntGo characters.

Rona — the caring strength

Rona is based on my wife Sharona, who I have now been together with for 18 years. Anyone who knows Sharona will immediately understand why Rona became the person she is. She is a natural mother: not only to our own children, but someone who is naturally caring, involved and always willing to help others. That is why Rona watches over safety, fair play and making sure everyone feels included within HuntGo. She stays calm when needed, is clear when necessary and always keeps an eye on whether everyone is still enjoying themselves. That makes Rona more than just a character in HuntGo; she is a very recognisable part of Sharona brought into the world of the game.

JayJay — technology and fairness

JayJay is based on our oldest son, Jaylano. JayJay was actually his nickname in primary school, so the name naturally found its place within HuntGo. His personality has stayed recognisable too. Fairness is very important to him, and he likes thinking about how things can be done better, smarter or more fairly. Jaylano has been involved in thinking about HuntGo from the very beginning and regularly comes up with new ideas. He is becoming more and more interested in technology, processes and planning, and he is also coming into contact with these subjects more often at school. My hope is that, in the future, he can continue to grow alongside the development of HuntGo and perhaps one day even help program the world that he himself helped inspire.

JaxxJer — our real little rascal

JaxxJer is based on our youngest son, Jeremy. His HuntGo name came from a combination of his names. And of all the characters, he may have been the one we had to invent the least for: he is one thousand percent a classic little rascal. Adventurous, curious, sometimes acting just a little faster than he thinks, and always wondering whether something can be done differently from the way it was intended. He loves playing outside, but he can just as easily become completely absorbed in a game. While Jaylano regularly comes up with new ideas during development, Jeremy mainly had one very important question: “When can we test again?” That combination of outdoor play, gaming, exploring and a little bit of mischief basically made him JaxxJer automatically.

From family to the HuntGo world

Rona, JayJay and JaxxJer were created together from the very beginning. I immediately had the idea that these three characters could represent different sides of HuntGo: Rona for safety and guidance, JayJay for technology, explanations and fair play, and JaxxJer for adventure, strategy, creativity and, of course, a little bit of mischief. They have since become real HuntGo characters, but for us they will always remain connected to the family where this adventure began.

Building without ever having programmed before

Perhaps one of the most special parts of this story is that I started building HuntGo without ever having programmed before. I have always been someone with ideas, though. In my head, I am constantly thinking about what could be better, what does not exist yet and whether you can create something that genuinely adds value. HuntGo brought many of my interests together: games, technology, processes, organising, creativity and building something completely from scratch. That mainly meant learning a lot. Sometimes building something that does not work, finding out why and trying again. Discovering rules and requirements you would never have thought about beforehand, and then making sure everything is not only fun, but also technically sound, legally correct and safe. That learning process may actually be what I am most proud of: that I managed to do it independently, simply by being willing to learn so much.

The moment it became real

At first, an app is mainly a collection of ideas, screens and plans. But after the first real setup, that changed, especially during our first Hunt test. The moment we were actually outside and something that had previously existed only in my head suddenly worked as a real game, HuntGo felt like more than just an idea for the first time. It became something people could actually play.

My mission with HuntGo

For me, HuntGo is ultimately not about GPS, maps or technology. The technology makes it possible, but the most important part happens away from the screen. I hope HuntGo eventually becomes a familiar name when it comes to outdoor play. That someone at a school camp says: “Shall we do a Hunt?” That a sports team uses HuntGo to strengthen teamwork and team spirit, that families go outside together on a free afternoon, and that children rediscover how much fun it can be to run, search, hide, work together and experience their own adventures. Not because screens are forbidden, but because that screen is exactly what brought them outside.

Dream big

HuntGo is still very much in development. We are constantly building, testing, changing and learning, and we try to be open about that. This is not a product developed behind closed doors by a huge team. It is growing step by step from an idea, our family and many hours spent figuring things out, trying things and improving them. That is why feedback is incredibly valuable. Every player who tests something, reports a problem or comes up with a good idea can help make HuntGo better. And the ambition? That can be big. I would love to see HuntGo eventually being played at schools, camps, sports clubs, within families, groups of friends and at events. Maybe even in places we have not thought of yet today.

This is only the beginning

Hide-and-seek and tag did not need an app to stay popular for generations. They were great games because they were simple, brought people together and could be different every time. With HuntGo, we are trying to bring some of that feeling into the present: the same urge to explore, chase each other, hide cleverly and have fun together. Only now with GPS, smartphones and all the possibilities technology gives us. Classic game ideas. New technology. New adventures. That is HuntGo to me.

Michel & Sharona Slootjes

Founders / the family behind HuntGo