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'M' marks the spot: Locally based Munzee takes hi-tech scavenger hunts global
Kelsey Kruzich/Staff Photo - A player captures a munzee called 'Brussels.' The clue for this treasure reads, 'Belgium is known for two things. When you find both in one spot, look behind one outside.'
By Jessica Rush, jrush@acnpapers.com
Hunting for hidden treasures used to involve unscrolling an antique map and looking for where X marks the spot.
These days, scavengers only need access to a smartphone to search for concealed items that earn points, rankings, badges and a level of respect among the people who participate in the 21st century hunt. It may surprise residents to know that these treasures can be found in Plano or as far away as Germany and the United Kingdom.
Munzee is a real-life scavenger hunt game that incorporates technology to make tracking easier. It is based on the fundamentals of geocaching, where players hide containers with a logbook for people to sign in and verify they found the "cache."
Benzick, who lives in Prosper and works in Plano, came up with the idea for the game in 2008, but he had to wait for the technology to catch up. He, along with Chris Pick, Scott Foster and Josh Terkelson, wrote the software and created the companion website for Munzee, which incorporates QR (quick response) bar codes.
"When I was first coming up with the idea, I was planning on using poker chips with serial numbers on them that would get hidden," Benzick said. "After spending a night thinking of catchy names, I came across 'munze,' which means coin in German, so I just expanded that into munzee as a clever name that people wouldn't forget."
The Munzee app for smartphones shows a map and clues for all the nearby hiding spots. The app can read the QR codes on the munzees and gives points for each one found. Players leave the munzee behind for others to locate, and they are usually stored in waterproof containers or laminated to protect against rain.
Players can deploy their own munzees using the website www.munzee.com. The creator earns additional points when other players find their active munzees.
Erin Hauser, her husband and two young daughters have been playing the game since it launched in June. Although they live in Wylie, the family ended up at The Shops at Legacy and finished a night of treasure hunting by eating at a restaurant they had never tried before.
"It was a lot of fun, because it gets you out and seeing different places," Hauser said.
She recommended bringing a flashlight and some comfortable shoes, because some of the munzees are hidden off the beaten path. Clever players have used zip ties or magnets to conceal the codes underneath objects, along fences or inside containers.
Hauser said in the future she would like to see an orienteering aspect added to the app to make it more competitive.
"You could make a timer challenge to compete in races," she said.
The game is free to play, and Benzick is considering adding perks for certain accomplishments.
"One of the things we're going to be working on is allowing businesses to put like a window cling or sticker in their front window," he said. "When they go to that business to get points for that munzee, it will show them a pop-up or discount for that business."
Those munzees would be easier to find, but the majority of hiding spots are not very obvious.
"It's a way to be adventurous and learn more about the world around you," Benzick said.
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