The Murder Mystery Dinner Party App (MMDPA) is a mobile game project that intends to engage players in participating with their friends and family to solve a mystery akin to classic whodunnit dinner party games. In the game, a group of “strangers” are brought together by a mysterious host and are suddenly thrown headfirst into unraveling a murder in which every one of them is a suspect – and only the killer knows whodunnit.

The game is forty-five minute+ shared-narrative experience in which multiple players can join in and play together in the same location. Players will sign-in to the game and be connected with each other. Players will then be presented with the setting and a gallery of characters to choose from. Each character will be fleshed-out with backstories filled with tightly held secrets, lies and double-crosses. But these backstories will hold the clues and motivations to the murder for other players to use once the crime is committed and the accusations commence.

Throughout the play experience, players will receive push notifications to their mobile devices about new discoveries regarding the crime, or fellow players as they slide further up the list of suspects. Once enough evidence is gathered, players will be able to cast an reproving finger at another player and accuse them of the crime of murder! All the while the player assigned as the killer works in the shadows to cover their tracks.

The conclusion that will reveal the true identity of the killer is sent to all players at the end of the game.