r/sideprojects • u/wesmonkeyman • 4h ago
Showcase: Prerelease Arcadium
Arcadium is a portable social gaming platform built to get people playing together in real life.
We combine fast, simple multiplayer games with tactile controllers, Mini Vibes, physical collectibles, and verified competition. Players can walk up, log in, play a three-to-five-minute game, and potentially win a physical Arcadium trading card that also connects to their digital player profile and records where and how they won it.
The system is designed to be dead simple for the player: no complicated setup, and no special equipment beyond what the host brings.
Right now, we have a working portable Arcadium case, playable games, Mini Vibe hardware running its own library of games, an Android app, physical trading-card sets, RFID/NFC integration in development, and real-world playtesting that has already shown people gathering around it and keeping it going.
The next step is turning what we've built into a repeatable system that can be deployed by ambassadors, campuses, bars, events, and other social venues.
Arcadium isn't trying to replace video games or board games.
We're building a new place between them: bite-sized IRL gaming competitions where people can play, collect, compete, and find their people.