Randonautica, the “world’s first and only quantumly generated reality game,” is trending once again as users share their strange experiences. Prompted by a collection of bizarre and even unsettling encounters, users have begun to wonder how the app’s “mind-to-matter” technology actually works.
How to Play
To preface this article, readers should first understand what Randonautica is and how it is played. In the simplest of terms, Randonautica is a random exploration game.
To begin, one must download the app and create an account. Once that is done, users will be shown a map in which they can set a desired radius for exploration, dependent on how far they wish to travel.
Before generating a map point to travel to, users must choose from three types of GPS points, which the app calls “anomalies.” The types of anomalies include:
- Attractors: improbably dense clusters of random points within your set radius.
- Voids: clusters with improbably low density within your set radius.
- Power: the point that is the highest power, or the most anomalous of an Attractor or Void.
Among the anomalies also exist “Blind Spots,” which are simply random points.
Once an anomaly is chosen, the app will generate a map point. While the point is generating, users are encouraged to set intentions or themes for their journey. Often times, users find that their experiences seemingly align with their intentions.
Those interested in trying the game can read more on Randonautica’s “Getting Started” page.
Return to the Limelight
Initially launched on February 22 of 2020, Randonautica gained significant popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenced by lockdown-induced boredom and TikTok trends, thousands of users flocked to the app. By July of 2020, Randonautica had as many as 10.8 million users.
The app gathered devout followers on TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit as well, assisted by shoutouts from content creators such as Emma Chamberlain.
Randonautica also gained popularity thanks to controversial coincidences reported by its users. Most notable was an incident in which a group of teenagers discovered a suitcase with two dead bodies inside while using the app. The incident occurred in 2020 near a beach in West Seattle, according to Seattle Police.
Randonautica founder, Joshua Lengfelder, reported shock at the “very unfortunate coincidence,” and personally reached out to the teens. “[We wanted to] make sure they were doing alright,” said Lengfelder. “We sent a message letting them know the intention of Randonautica is not to find something disturbing like this.”
Despite that incident, the large buzz surrounding the app did not endure for long. As COVID restrictions lightened and life began to return to pre-pandemic conditions, Randonautica slowly faded out of the limelight.
Now, four years later, the app suddenly seems to be trending once more. Thanks to users flooding social media with their strangest Randonautica experiences, discussion regarding the mysterious app has been reopened.
Creepy Coincidences
According to TikTok, users are back to Randonauting now that the weather is warm enough again. Whether that be the case or not, one thing is for certain; users have recently flocked to social media to share their craziest Randonautica experiences.
Most of the stories being shared possess similar themes. They are often bizarre, mysterious, sometimes unsettling, and all highly coincidental.
For example, TikTok user @grape4loko shared a story in which she manifested the theme of “death” while Randonauting. The point generated led her to a random intersection. She reported being on her phone, confused by the point location, when the light turned green. Seconds later, a car “barreled through the red light.” She believes that if she had not been on her phone, she would have been hit by the car.
Another TikTok user, @jaime_davis, shared a similar experience manifesting the same theme. Reportedly, the app began to lead her to a spot where someone she knew had passed away in a car accident. When she reached the spot, she discovered another car had just crashed in a similar manner, and no EMT had arrived yet.
Reddit user @karliecube shared a story in which they manifested a “doorway to the paranormal.” The point generated led them to the edge of their cousin’s farmland property, where they coincidentally found an old door lying in the grass.
Not every story being shared is as unsettling as the ones above, however. For example, TikTok user @y.4nny shared the time they set their intention as “yellow.” Coincidentally, but not so strangely, they were led to a point where they saw someone taking graduation photos in a yellow gown.
While one of the main goals of using Randonautica is to have your journey align with your set intentions, some users still remain in shock over their crazily coincidental experiences, like the ones described above.
Not only the coincidence of the experiences themselves but also the coincidence of so many users sharing similar stories has sparked new conversations. Users are now more curious than ever to learn about the technology behind the app in hopes that it will unshroud some of the mystery.
So What Is Randonautica?
Randonautica was founded by Auburn Salcedo and Joshua Lengfelder. According to Lengfelder, the idea for the app was inspired by something called the Fatum Project. As described on the app’s website, the Fatum Project is “a symbiosis of research and cultural medium that work to develop each other. It is an inseparable fusion of folklore and technology that continuously evolves and creates new opportunities for discovery.”
Endorsing the project’s theories regarding random exploring, predetermined realities, and the influence of the human mind, Lengfelder created Randonautica.
The website describes the app as “a tool created to enhance the human experience with novelty by mindfully exploring the world [and] the interconnectivity of the universe.” The app was also created “to test the hypothesis that human consciousness can influence the distribution of random numbers through Mind Matter Interaction (MMI).”
In other words, the app aims to encourage people to venture outside of their day-to-day routines. By using a quantum random number generator to derive a truly random coordinate, users can experience unique, novelty-filled journeys.
Randonautica’s website explains that venturing outside of your day-to-day routine can have several benefits. When positive and sincere intentions are set, “meaningful, mind-bending experiences” and a “deeper understanding of the interconnectivity within the universe” can be cultivated.
Further emphasizing the importance of novelty – “something new or unusual” – the website describes the concept as a “treasure.”
“Novelty shows us the way beyond the imaginable and opens up new possibilities for us. The one who possesses novelty becomes the creator of a new reality.”
Randonautica
As stated on their website, Randonautica’s mission is to “serve curiosity seekers around the globe by sincerely exploring the world they never knew existed.” Their goal is to “open [people’s] minds to endless possibilities within the multiverse” which will automatically make them a “crucial part of a phenomenon pioneering the entry into Mind Matter Interaction (MMI) for the betterment of humanity.”
In conclusion, the technology behind Randonautica is, in fact, not yet fully explainable. It is based upon theories which the app is actively testing. Given that information, many people remain skeptical of the app and believe users’ stories to be purely coincidental.
Regardless of skepticism, one fact is clear. Randonautica has created a game which not only is benefitting people with meaningful and mind-opening experiences, but which is also pioneering the use of ground-breaking technology. Randonautica is revolutionizing science as we know it and pushing the edges of human capability.
Tips & Guidelines
Despite the many strange and unsettling stories shared, Randonautica still prioritizes safe and enjoyable journeys for its users. To enhance users’ experiences and ensure their safety, Randonautica’s website provides several guidelines and tips.
First and foremost, Randonautica emphasizes being a responsible Randonaut by following these guidelines:
- Never, ever trespass onto private property.
- Stay totally clear of dangerous areas.
- Only adventure during the day.
- Leave the environment better off than when you arrived.
- Always Randonaut with a charged phone.
- Keep a positive mindset!
- Go on the journey with a friend or small group.
- Do not venture into areas outside your comfort zone.
- Always use common sense when it comes to your personal physical limitations.
- Enjoy the whole journey, not just the point!
Randonautica also abides by nine tenets to ensure positive user experiences. The 9 Tenets of Randonauting include:
- Seeing in the dark
- Venture mindfully
- Be sincere
- High vibes intent
- Value inner life
- Bridge cultural gaps
- Transform and shift
- Bring a trash bag
- Synchronicity
Perhaps partially explanative may be the fact that many users who shared unsettling experiences were simply not abiding by Randonautica’s guidelines or tenets.
Regardless of opinion, Randonautica is free and available for download by anyone who wishes to test out the controversial technology for themselves. An Official Guide to Randonautica is also available for purchase here, which further dives into the theories used to develop the app and why users’ intentions often relate to their findings.
For readers who still find themselves weary of the app altogether, there are plenty of alternative summer entertainment options as well. The following article, Summer Hobbies To Get Away From Technology, may be more up your alley.
