r/aipromptprogramming • u/iucoann • 22h ago
Small business owners: would you rent a shop inside a video game if players had to visit it to win your discount code?
I want to share something I built, and I’d honestly like to hear what business owners think.
It started as a website where you could buy a billboard in a 3D city. It didn’t really work: people looked once and left, the same way everyone ignores banner ads. u/catnomadic suggested making the ads part of the gameplay instead, so I turned the whole site into a game. Big thanks for that.
How it works for you as a business
You rent a building in the game’s city. Prices go by location, like real life:
- Main Street: $49/month
- Side streets: $19/month
- Back alleys: $9/month
- Out in the districts: $5–9/month
Your building shows your banner, your logo and a link to your store. Inside there’s a small 3D showroom with up to 3 of your products, each linking straight to your own shop. People buy from you directly; the game never handles your sales.
The interesting part is quests. You write a short quest, or use a ready-made template: “find the clue at the payphone, then the vending machine, then come back to my shop”. You set your own promo code as the prize, and you can limit how many codes go out or set an end date. Players have to walk around the city and come back to your shop’s kiosk to claim it.
You also get a dashboard with how many players visited your building and how many clicked through to your store.
Why I think this beats a normal ad
Nobody is forced to watch anything. Players choose your quest because they want the reward. By the time they get your code, they’ve been inside your store, seen your products and spent a few minutes with your name. And the code only costs you something when someone actually uses it.
For the players it’s a free game in the browser, on desktop or phone: exploring, finding artefacts, fighting robots, crafting gear and cars, decorating a hideout. Rentals are monthly through Stripe and you can cancel anytime.
It’s early days, so I’m not going to pretend there are huge numbers yet. I’d really like honest opinions:
- Would you try this for your business?
- What would make it worth $9 or $19 a month to you?
- What kind of quest would you give players?
Have a look: www.48rich.com
