The Enigmatic Pursuit: A City - Wide Scavenger Hunt in San Francisco

I. The Grand Finale Unveiled

On a Wednesday night in August, hundreds converged upon the lobby of Apple Cinemas in central San Francisco. To gain entry to this exclusive event, attendees had to utter a secret code word to the door - crew, greeted by three giggling children donning over - sized “SECURITY” caps.

Inside, the throng scoured the walls for QR codes and admired a makeshift art gallery. The gallery showcased paintings, each inspired by a renowned historical piece such as Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring or Munch’s The Scream, but with a cartoon stick figure named Percy replacing the central subject. In Theater 4, a secret film played. Dozens of participants purchased Percy T - shirts and joined the waiting list for the booth offering Percy tattoos - a tangible and permanent commitment to the celebration.

This marked the grand finale of Pursuit, a city - wide scavenger hunt that had unfolded over several weeks across San Francisco. The objective was to find Percy, whose image was plastered on posters, imploring - and at times, threatening - people to call a phone number. Those who did were led to complete 12 elaborate quests hidden throughout the city. Each task was revealed at different times, lasting a few days, with participants uncovering clues that brought them closer to Percy.

A month into the search, with over 12,000 players enlisted, more than 800 people gathered at the theater as Percy was set to make his long - awaited appearance. Rumors spread that he might even speak.

II. The Genesis and Motivation of Pursuit

A. Game Background

This was the second iteration of the city - wide Pursuit game. The first was held in the summer of 2024, with 300 people attending the finale. The scavenger hunt was funded in part by FranciscoSan.org, a grant initiative launched by an anonymous benefactor, which allocated $100,000 to local efforts aimed at “making the city and county of San Francisco more whimsical through eventures [sic] and installations.” The remainder of the funding came from the organizers, a group of approximately 20 friends.

B. The Absence of Conventional Prizes

Pursuit offered no traditional prizes. There was no hidden treasure, no cash reward, and it was not - as some might cynically suspect - a marketing ploy for a new startup. The organizers maintain that the true prize lies in the friendships forged along the way. While they acknowledge the cheesiness of this sentiment, they are sincere in their belief.

Athena Leong, a software engineer and one of the organizers, stated, “Our friend group in general just really likes exploring.”

III. Disrupting the Narrative of a “Dying City”

Contrary to the narrative of San Francisco as a dying city, with its downtown decimated and culture eroded by gentrification and Silicon Valley self - absorption, the Pursuit crew, mainly composed of twentysomething tech workers, holds a different view.

During one of Pursuit’s clue - days, Leong and the author embarked on a car journey driven by fellow organizer Charlie Stigler, traversing the city from one mission clue to another. As the author struggled to solve the puzzles independently, they peppered the organizers with questions about the creation and motivation behind this complex undertaking.

Patrick Hultquist, a software engineer who helped conceive the scavenger hunt idea last year, said, “We just enjoy doing things that are whimsical. It’s fun to do something that’s not profitable - not something that has to be economically justifiable, but simply because it’s enjoyable to watch people play.”

IV. The Diverse Missions and Player Engagement

A. Mission Scope

Pursuit missions led players across the city, with clues hidden in public pay phones, fake crosswalk signs, and boxes accessible only with codes. Players solved riddles, scaled San Francisco’s windy peaks, and interacted with NFC tags that led to a website enabling communication with “trees.” One mission culminated in an actual car chase, as players chased a white Chevy Trax with a large Percy model on its roof through the streets.

B. Player - Induced Havoc and Unintended Consequences

Players, in turn, caused some disruptions. They overloaded the organizers’ messaging service, stole clue props, and even transformed the game into a DIY dating app. Leong noted, “Pursuit, for whatever reason, is a really popular date activity,” while scrolling through messages from users about finding love during the hunt.

V. The Player Spectrum and Community Interaction

A. Player Diversity

Players of Pursuit represented a wide range, including retirees, kids, families, and enthusiastic puzzle enthusiasts. The game partnered with local businesses to conceal secrets within their premises. For instance, one mission had a clue hidden in a single dryer at Oomz Laundromat, which was packed with nearly 40 people when the author visited.

Oscar Lopez, a San Francisco native and returning player, remarked, “Look at all these San Francisco introverts, actually talking and interacting with each other,” as he gestured towards the chatty crowd. Lopez was drawn to Pursuit last year by the posters around the city.

B. Community - Building within the Game

Players could add each other to their Pursuit “troop” by scanning QR codes on fellow players’ phones. A leaderboard tracked the number of player codes each person scanned. Lopez, having added nearly 700 others to his troop, was in second place, actively collecting codes as people entered the laundromat.

The Oomz manager took the opportunity to promote his business, asking people to scan his QR code and leave a positive online review. The final clue for that day’s puzzle was found in a cassette tape at the volunteer - run Thrillhouse Records across the street, which was also crowded. At Mitchell’s, the local ice cream shop, Pursuit even had its own flavor (the Percy, a blend of ube and coconut).

C. Organizers’ Role

Pursuit organizers also visited clue locations, blending in with the crowd. They mainly observed and occasionally offered discreet assistance. Bansini Doshi, a local artist and student who participated in Pursuit last year and helped build it this year, was drawn to the combination of role - playing and community - building. She said, “The things that were most striking was that you don’t know who’s doing it, who’s planning it, who’s funding it. That adds to the charm of it so much, because it really just feels like it’s for the love of the game.”

D. Challenging Missions

Some missions proved particularly challenging. One required climbing hundreds of steps to Grandview Park and using binoculars to spot letters painted on the ground across the city. The author reached the top, out of breath, to find around a dozen people already in search of their next clue, with some having made the steep journey two days in a row. Leong quipped, “Pursuit players will do basically whatever we ask them to. I promise we are not a cult.”

VI. The Bay Area Tradition of Whimsy

San Francisco has a rich history of pranks and playful endeavors, from the Merry Pranksters to Burning Man. The current generation of Bay Area mischief - makers, like the Pursuit organizers, aims to ensure people have a good time, following in the footsteps of their predecessors with unwavering commitment to their “bit.”

Danielle Egan, one of Pursuit’s leaders, works in “Product BizOps” at LinkedIn and moonlights as an artist and general trouble - maker. She, along with Leong, Theo Bleier, and Riley Walz (an internet - famous prankster), has been involved in elaborate stunts such as Mehran's Steakhouse, a one - night - only fake New York fine - dining restaurant in 2024. Egan also hosted the Sit Club, a parody of run clubs. Regarding Pursuit, she emphasized the art of crafting puzzles that strike the right balance of frustration: “It can't be too easy. There is a middle ground. Some people should struggle.”

Artist Danielle Baskin, who planned the laundromat and music - shop mission, built a sense of community online. Players started her mission by drawing a doodle of Percy and submitting their favorite song. Completing the quest rewarded them with a link to a 100 - hour - long playlist composed of all the submitted songs, with the accompanying doodles available on a companion website. Baskin was surprised to note, “There are actually only three penises so far. Our players are really very friendly,” while referring to the “time - to - penis” (TTP) concept in gaming development.

VII. Technical Hurdles and Unforeseen Challenges

A. Technical Glitches

Pursuit faced its fair share of technical issues. In the early days of the game, the Percy support line was inundated with sign - ups and messages, maxing out the group’s Twilio account. During one mission, the QR codes initially didn't work and had to be replaced.

B. Theft and Unintended Competition

People also stole items. A crucial alligator statue vanished, and Leong had to replace an entire box of binoculars for another mission. An elaborate fake crosswalk signal box was ripped off and taken home, though it was later returned with an apology note.

The leaderboard feature of Pursuit became unexpectedly competitive. Leong said, “The entire point of the troop QR codes was we wanted to give people a reason to talk to each other and socialize. But what we’re realizing now is that it’s gotten a bit transactional.” The organizers may rethink or even ditch this feature if they host the hunt next year.

VIII. The Unplanned Ending and Its Impact

A. Finding a Venue

The Pursuit crew had not initially planned an ending for their hunt. Two weeks before the finale, they scrambled to find a venue for the rapidly growing gathering. Danielle Baskin connected with James Kilpatrick, the landlord of the Don Lee building where Apple Cinemas operates, via Craigslist. Kilpatrick, a fan of scavenger hunts, allowed the group to use the lobby and a single theater. His three children served as security.

B. The Final Mission and Celebration

Players who completed the final mission were directed to a phone line, where they either answered specific questions about the puzzles or brute - forced their way through multiple - choice questions. The completed quiz led to a Partiful page with the building’s coordinates.

Eudora Dong, a tattoo artist, set up a table to offer $50 flash tattoos of Percy and other Pursuit logos. Many attendees lined up, much to the organizers’ surprise. Anna Kalinsky, while waiting for an ankle tattoo of a duck (a reference to one of the game’s clues), said, “I get so much out of Pursuit emotionally. Part of that is a full willingness to commit. A tattoo felt like a logical conclusion of that. It's a little weird and a little crazy, but Pursuit really validates and encourages taking the dive.”

C. Percy’s Appearance

A saxophone player, hired via Craigslist, played the hook from George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” and ascended the staircase in the main lobby. As the song ended to applause, Percy, resembling a sports mascot, appeared atop the staircase. Riley Walz supplied Percy’s voice as the character pantomimed a speech: “You didn’t just play a game. You remembered something this city has always known - that wonder lives everywhere if you have the courage to look for it. You proved that magic is not dead. It’s not buried under apps and algorithms and the crushing weight of everyday life. It’s right here, waiting … You are proof that curiosity is stronger than cynicism.”

After Percy’s speech, the Pursuit organizers, dressed in hazmat suits, expressed their gratitude and mingled with the crowd. The event continued for a couple more hours, and by the time the theater closed, Dong was still tattooing Percy images, with more than a dozen tattoos completed and the wait - list still long.