Elizabeth M.
Secret Society: A Community Abandoned by G5
“Abandoned,” “devastated,” “broken-hearted.” These are the words many of my friends in Secret Society: Hidden Picture Mystery (SS) have used following the news that G5 has decided to deprioritize our favorite game in favor of newer games aimed at a younger audience. We will still be able to play SS, but the monthly events that keep the game fresh and exciting will be gone. SS players are largely 50 and older. Many of us have been playing for more than ten years and have formed close friendships with fellow players around the world. For some, this game is much more than entertainment. It helps them cope with boredom, stress, anxiety, depression, loss, grief, insomnia, and even the horrors of war. This is a community, not just a collection of players. G5 has handled this decision very poorly: without advance notice, without an announcement on the game platform or its website, and with responses to player complaints that many of us have perceived as AI-generated rather than personal or sincere. Ultimately, G5's decision is a business decision. The company may believe that losing a relatively small percentage of players, even those who quit, boycott, or complain, will have little impact on its bottom line. But that assumption may underestimate the value of this community. AARP research demonstrates that adults over 50 represent a substantial technology and gaming market. AARP's 2026 technology research found that 71% of adults age 50 and older purchased technology in 2025, spending an average of $756 per person. AARP's 2023 gaming research estimated that 52.4 million Americans age 50 and older played video games. AARP's 2026 Grandparent Economy study further found that nine in ten grandparents provide financial support to their grandchildren. These findings should matter to game developers. Adults over 50 are technology consumers, active gamers who invest time and money in digital entertainment, and family members whose interests and recommendations can help shape the entertainment younger generations discover. Retaining the loyalty of established older players can have value beyond the individual player. Discontinuing new content risks losing not only a committed audience but also the goodwill and word-of-mouth recommendations that help games attract and retain players. And what message does this send to people considering investing years of their time and money in another G5 game? Why should players start a new game, knowing that they could eventually reach level 3404 only to discover that it is “GAME OVER”? (We all love and miss you, Sonya. God bless and keep you.) I urge G5 to recognize the value of its established player community, communicate transparently about the game's future, and reconsider whether ending new content updates is truly in its long-term commercial and reputational interests. Loyal players are not just numbers on a screen. They are the community that helped make this game worth playing.