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Meet the 21st-century game show in the form of the Hangtime app

Lulu Chang
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Image used with permission by copyright holder

You may have chilled with your friends in person a few years ago, but today, hanging out is something you can do with your friends … in solitude. Meet Hangtime, a new mobile gaming platform that will allow its users to play live trivia games and quizzes while interacting with other human players, all without ever meeting those players in person. During each game, you can compete to win cash and other prizes while talking to and interacting with friends in either private or public “Hangs,” or digital rooms.

Every day at 2 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET, Hangtime provides its users with trivia and quiz shows. Think of it as the 21st-century answer to Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy! Only instead of watching contestants compete on television, you can take part in the action yourself.

As it stands, the app features three game shows: Pop Quiz and Perfectly Adequate Games, both hosted by Will and Erinn of Perfectly Adequate Films, and The Good Game Show, hosted by Jon Hudson, a local New York City-based comedian. And for an even more social experience, you can tune into live pre- and post-game shows hosted by live animated characters who promise to engage with you and help organize your private hangs.

“TV has always been a social experience centered around popular shows that air during certain times of the day. However, with the transition to mobile devices, viewers have been given the power to watch any content, anytime, anywhere. As a result, we lost the social benefits of watching TV as a group,” said Mike Schabel, CEO of Kiswe, the company that built Hangtime. “By reintroducing social experiences to live video on mobile devices, Hangtime provides fun ways to bring friends, old and new, together to watch and play live game shows. Interactive and collaborative gaming is the first step toward our vision that mobile video is best when shared live with friends. During the beta phase of the app, we were able to build an incredible community of loyal Hangers, and we’re excited to bring this new gaming experience to everyone starting today.”

Hangtime relies on Kiswe’s patented cloud video technology, which promises live mobile video experiences for users across the country. In addition, you can see a live scoreboard to follow how you’re stacking up against other contestants during a game, as well as a comprehensive leaderboard that will allow you to compete tournament-style with your friends throughout the week. Of course, there are chatrooms that encourage chatting, collaborating, and competing with other competitors or your close friends, and Hangtime says it will continue to add more game formats as it develops. The app is available for download today on iOS or Android.

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Lulu Chang
Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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