How long has it been since you last immersed yourself in a game? We’re not talking about mobile games like Honor of Kings or an otome (a story-based romance genre) game like Love and Deepspace. We’re asking about playing games IRL with friends, where the weight of organizing or the stress of potential disorganization wasn’t a factor. The days when you all knew where and when to meet up, and enjoyed the simple pleasures of playing tag in a field, or hide-and-seek in abandoned malls, 10-person rock-paper-scissors?…

Enter [[rect*]]repair: a collective mainly based in Shanghai that offers the opportunity to not only revisit these childhood memories, but also take them up a notch or two. With plenty of experimental games in the format of web-based play, LARP (live-action role-playing), treasure hunting, and more, young people in the city have been gathering to rethink and expand the definition of “games.”

My personal encounter with [[rect*]]repair started with a social media post “complaining” about not finding the entrance to a cult-favorite nightclub in Shanghai called SYSTEM. This was actually a [[rect*]]repair-curated project that started last December, in which they blocked off the main entrance, prompting visitors to find their own way to enter the club—no holds barred.

You had to get creative: from finding out who the DJ was that night and DM-ing them, to bribing the bouncers/promoters, to role-playing as stage crew, or simply searching for the backstage entrance, [[rect*]]repair transformed a simple task of “entering a nightclub” into a real-life puzzle. A hidden camera was set aside to observe their behaviors. When entering the club was no longer a single action of stepping through the door, people began to rethink accessibility and inclusivity—while also rediscovering the pure joy of puzzle-solving.

Beyond nightlife, [[rect*]]repair has also collaborated with artist communities across the country. In May, they traveled to Ningbo to organize a Rock–Paper–Scissors Run for the book fair hosted by JIAZAZHI Press, a well-known independent art book publisher in China. In July, they partnered with another bookstore to let participants create their own “Box Jam.” The collective invited friends from diverse backgrounds to fill empty books with improvised thoughts, everyday objects, instructions, or concepts.

“Across China, we’ve come across a lot of decorative ‘fake books’ with real-looking covers written with obscure titles, but no pages inside. These empty book boxes caught our attention. Inspired by the spirit of Fluxus’ flux kit, we began reimagining them not as props, but as vacant vessels,” [[rect*]]repair states about the inspiration behind “Box Jam.”

The collective continues exploring the boundaries of what can be considered both “play” and the “playground” itself. This summer, they hosted a citywide treasure hunt in Shanghai. On breezy evenings, dozens of people borrowed shared bikes—one of Shanghai’s cultural local icons—and used public transport to explore the overlooked edges of the city. In August, [[rect*]]repair co-hosted the Shanghai chapter of the annual “HTML Day.” During the event, people online from around the world joined a marathon of HTML coding. I mean, if you’re gonna code HTML, why not do it with hundreds of people?

This year, [[rect*]]repair returned to SYSTEM with their latest ARG (alternate reality game), called [Emotion Beach System] Simulation Resort. In this game, guests who showed up from 9:40 to 11 PM that night were addressed as the “99th Visitor.” Looking for clues to the next puzzle, they dug into flower pots for audio instructions, found the only unlocked locker, and were interrupted by people who “fainted” on the dancefloor. This game was an updated version of the door-opening puzzle from last December. As Joanna, the founder of [[rect*]]repair, told RADII, she “loves hosting games in nightclubs.” Clubs and the games from [[rect*]]repair share common ground in how they touch upon the limitations and boundaries of entertainment formats. And in this ambiguity, you can find pure joy.

One precious thing about [[rect]]repair is that, in a fast-paced city like Shanghai, their ever-changing themes of play remind us of the necessity of pure entertainment. Here is a group of people who are devoting their lives to collective fun. It’s creative, meaningful, and community-shaping. It’s a utopia for grown-ups wanting to connect and explore themselves, their friends, strangers, and the city around them. So if you’re in Shanghai, be sure to look out for the next immersive, experimental game by [[rect]]repair via their Instagram.

Cover image via WeChat/@annual_report (Joanna) / Photo credit: Lucy.