HQ Trivia quickly became one of the world’s most popular apps following its 2017 release, with its use of live streaming successfully merging mobile quizzing with human interaction. Yet HQ Trivia gradually declined in popularity, with an absence of financial support appearing to consign the app to the scrapheap in February 2020. However, HQ Trivia has been resurrected with new investments and declarations that the app is here to stay.
The Verge has provided the details of the app’s resurrection, with a source close to the HQ Trivia company confirming that backing by a new private investor should enable quizzes to run regularly in the future. Rus Yusupov, co-founder of HQ Trivia, had hinted at the app’s return as far back as February, but on March 30 that return was formalized through the launch of a new quiz.
1/ On Friday I announced that @hqtrivia was shutting down after a failed acquisition. Well it was a busy weekend, and HQ WILL LIVE ON. More below
— Rus (@rus) February 18, 2020
Livestreaming in mobile apps
While its popularity eventually diminished, the use of live streaming initially helped HQ to stand out in a competitive field of quizzing apps. Each game of HQ Trivia is run by a human host who asks questions in real-time, responds to participants’ results, and gives shout-outs to players. Any wrong answer causes a player to be eliminated, with the last players standing are eligible to share a cash prize. The fewer players that make it to the end, the greater the share of the jackpot for the winners.
CNBC told the story of a player who was one of twelve to share a $250,000 jackpot, with this player netting around $21,000 despite guessing on 80% of his answers. However, the mass appeal of HQ Trivia went far deeper than a slim chance of claiming some proportion of the jackpot. The sense of participation in a significant global event (and a love of trivia) kept people coming back each day for the next live stream. HQ’s new investor will hope that this can be the case once again.
The success of HQ Trivia demonstrated to other developers that there was a market for live streaming in mobile apps. Words With Friends Live is a trivia game broadcast within Zynga’s Words With Friends 2, with linguistic trivia questions posed by a host as players compete for prizes in real-time (sound familiar?). Zynga even brought legendary country singer Garth Brooks on as a host in 2019, bringing star quality to the live stream.
Another example of app-based streaming is a dating app created by The Meet Group, called NextDate. This adds a twist to typical mobile dating apps by connecting users in real-time and allowing suitable matches to communicate via video chat. This exemplifies how mobile app developers have sought to emulate the success of HQ Trivia’s integration of streaming technology.
Live streaming in other industries
The resurgence of HQ Trivia comes at a time when live streaming is more popular than ever. HQ Trivia may have inspired the integration of live streaming in other mobile apps, but other industries have played vital roles in popularizing the use of the technology to new audiences. The success in these industries has helped to make consumers increasingly comfortable with live streaming, so a revived HQ Trivia may reap the benefits of people becoming even more confident with the tech.
iGaming
Live casino games are run in real-time by a human host, with players able to tune in from their preferred location and place bets as the action unfolds. For example, platforms such as Betway offer a wide variety of live titles, from traditional casino offerings like Blackjack and Roulette to more niche titles like Monopoly and Deal or No Deal. Seeing a human dealer conduct the game makes a player feel more connected, as does the knowledge that other viewers are tuned in to the stream. As in HQ Trivia, this sense of community can be turned into friendly competition and makes the player feel more immersed in the experience.
Social media
The social potential of live streaming is also evident on platforms such as Twitter, where users can share content with their followers in real-time. This content can take any form, whether it is a stream of thoughts, a Q&A session, or a how-to guide. Celebrities often use the live function on Instagram to emphasize the exclusivity of their content; if you fail to tune in live to the stream, you may be unable to watch the video back at a later date. Making it a one-off event adds a level of prestige to the stream and makes it a must-watch for fans.
Music
Social media is also a great way for musicians to broadcast sets to their fanbase. There has been a rise of musicians performing on Facebook Live in the opening months of 2020, giving fans a chance to engage with their favorite artists that may have otherwise been unattainable. Viewers can interact with the musician and fellow fans via a live chat function, which reinforces the community aspect of live streaming. Dedicated streaming platforms such as Stageit are also popular with performers, allowing them to monetize their work while still maintaining an interactive element.
With more live casino games being developed, more social media users posting live content, and more musicians opting to perform shows via streams, it is fitting that there is still life left in HQ Trivia. It might take time for the app to re-establish the same level of popularity as during its 2017 peak, but the live stream element will continue to capture the imagination of trivia lovers worldwide.
