Giphy Arcade Lets Anyone Build Micro Games With GIFs

Let the GIF games begin — Giphy Arcade lets you build micro games with stickers

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GIFs are no longer just fodder for messaging and social interactions — with Giphy Arcade, GIFs are building blocks for custom arcade games. Launched on Wednesday, October 16, Giphy Arcade lets users design their own games using animated stickers, then share and play without an app download.

The Giphy Arcade Remix allows you to choose a type of game — like running and jumping over obstacles or shooting bricks — and customize the game by filling in the characters with GIFs. For example, you can create a game where a burger has to jump over a barbecue grill. Game designers can also choose their own backgrounds and old-school arcade music.

The games are designed from the new Arcade web app, which means there’s no app download required to design or play. Any device with an internet connection and web browser supports the microgames. Because the games are simply selecting a type and filling in the characters, the games can be designed in a few clicks with no code or design experience necessary.

If you don’t want to design your own games, the Giphy Arcade houses Giphy-designed microgames to play from a web browser. Like GIFs, Giphy games are short and sweet — the company says they are designed to be played in a few seconds. If you want to play for more than a few seconds, the Giphy Arcade home page also has game collections curated into playlists for longer play.

Of course, GIFs are social creatures — and Giphy games are also designed to be shared with friends. Games can be shared using a custom link (like this one), which allows the games to spread on social networks as well as in texts and emails without downloading an app.

“When exploring what games could look like for Giphy, we knew the experience had to be quick, sharable, and accessible for everyone, including people who don’t necessarily have a history with gaming,” Nick Santaniello, senior product engineer at Giphy, said. “With Giphy Arcade, we’ve created an experience that not only provides instant fun for the player, but also a new way to add personalized expression and entertainment to conversations as they’re happening.”

Giphy Arcade launched on Wednesday, October 16, including games from launch partner Wendy’s — so you can play a version of the classic Breakout, but with chicken nuggets.

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