Launched to 3 million listeners on NPR
Hidden Brain is a top 20 podcast broadcast on 400+ radio stations
Death By Duck builds games from podcasts. They partnered with NineTwoThree to turn NPR's Hidden Brain, a top 20 podcast hosted by Shankar Vedantam and broadcast on 400+ public radio stations, into a mobile game.
The goal was an MVP in one month that could prove the concept and fit a bootstrap budget. The show reaches over 3 million listeners, so the audience and the stakes were both large.
What we delivered
iOS Game App
Built the Hidden Brain Daily Challenge as a native iOS app blending psychology science with interactive gameplay.
MVP in One Month
Delivered a focused, functional version of the game within a one-month deadline while staying inside a bootstrap budget.
Revenue Model Design
Designed an ads-based revenue model with customizable internal and external advertisements that scales with the app.
Self-Manageable CMS
Set up a content management system so the team could update and manage the app without ongoing engineering support.
Hidden Brain faced three main challenges
Building a fun, budget-friendly game on a one-month deadline meant solving several constraints at once.
One-month MVP deadline with a bootstrap budget
Death By Duck wanted a Minimum Viable Product in just one month. Their original game idea exceeded their bootstrap budget, so the scope needed to be focused to a version that could prove the larger vision without overspending.
Face-matching game that stays unique every day
The core game relied on users matching faces from multiple angles and varying levels of difficulty. It needed to work smoothly for hundreds of people using it every day while providing a unique experience each time.
Self-manageable app without ongoing engineering
The Hidden Brain team needed to update and manage the app themselves. The game had to handle more users and features over time without overcomplicating the logic, and photo storage needed to work without constant engineering attention.
NineTwoThree built, iterated, and shipped a focused iOS game in one month
The team researched top puzzle apps, built the game through multiple iterations, and kept the Hidden Brain team involved at every step.
UX research and swiping game design
NineTwoThree studied popular apps from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times to inform the UX. The team focused on smooth navigation and simple swiping actions so new users could pick up the game immediately.
Podcast-to-App Continuity
The team added audio introductions featuring Shankar Vedantam, Hidden Brain's creator and host, to create continuity between the app and the podcast. Score-sharing features encouraged users to bring friends and family into the game.
Iterative development and ad integration
Multiple build-and-adjust cycles refined the game's difficulty and fun factor. The team kept users engaged while hosting ads that don't disrupt the experience, and each cycle validated the app's financial model.
Scalable CMS and photo storage
The team set up smart photo storage and a content management system so the Hidden Brain team could update the game and add new content without ongoing engineering work.
What Hidden Brain gained from partnering with us
App launched on schedule in one month
The Hidden Brain Daily Challenge app launched on December 5th, meeting the one-month deadline. The architecture leaves room for additional games to be added in the future without rebuilding from scratch.
Strong early user reception
The app earned a 5.0 rating based on 15 reviews on the App Store shortly after launch. The Hidden Brain team promoted the app through their own podcast, leveraging an audience of over 3 million listeners.
Daily learning habit built into a game
The daily challenge format encourages users to spend three minutes playing regularly, building a habit that makes learning psychology concepts fun and repeatable rather than a one-time interaction.
Revenue model ready to scale
The ads-based revenue model with customizable internal and external advertisements gives the team a path to monetize as the user base grows, without needing to rework the app's architecture.
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“Their professionalism and friendliness stood out ”
NineTwoThree delivered a high-quality MVP that acted as the client's POC and pleased their end clients. Their team helped the client learn the process. They were also professional, delightful, timely, friendly, and responsive. Moreover, they communicated via email, messaging apps, and meetings.
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