The term "Puppetmaster" can be misleading as the term is known to be someone who is in control of another. "Puppetmaster" in this context means an individual(s) or group(s) that are orchestrating tasks for digital volunteers and organizing response and data collection.

"Puppetmaster" during a crisis

Puppet Masters have control over the instructions and the types of missions that the gamers are trying to complete, but they do not have total control over the gamer's actions. 

The gamers have total control over how they react to the instructions they are given. They can react in a way that the designers did not see coming therefore the designers are not able to control for all of the possible outcomes of their instructions. 


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There has been a surge of interest and participation in taking video games and their mission into a real-world context. Alternate reality games like "I Love Bees" have given their online players the ability to play the game in real-life locations. The gamers are given instructions to meet up in a certain location where they then will be given instructions on how to complete missions. 

Video Role-Playing Games Involve into Real World Missions

McGonigal, Jane. "The Puppet Master Problem: Design for Real-World, Mission-Based Gaming." Second Person. MIT Press, January 2007. Eds. Pat Harrigan and Noah Wardrip-Fruin.

The Puppet Master Problem: Design for Real-World, Mission-Based Gaming

1. The Puppet Master is seen as the wizard(s) behind the curtain as they are responsible for creating the game and evolving it as time progresses. 

2. They make decisions secretly, withhold information as necessary, and do not interact with the gamers until the game is over.

Game Designers or "PuppetMasters"

1.  Gamers can be seen as mindless actors, but they have more control over the missions than what's thought from the outside looking in.

2. Gamers are thought to have been the ones to give the designers the name Puppet Master.

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