Welcome to Octopus Game, for Defcon 31!

We’ve reinvented our game for 2023, taking our cephalopodic friend into an electrical engineering themed context. No longer in the debt forgiveness business, their tentacles have wound their way into Silicon based Manufacturing.

Join us in puzzles, treasure hunts, and competitions as we venture through the Arcane Sand and Cursed Gold that become thinking machines, and defeat (or choose to aid) the Octopus along the way.

To participate, please put your name down on our sign-up sheet today! Though you can absolutely sign up on August 11th, the sign up will only be open in the morning, and we don’t want you to miss out!

Octopus Game at DEF CON 31

For everyone who played last year:

This year the contest is the same in some ways and different in others.

Octopus Game is still a battle royale, with one player fighting their way up the leaderboards to be crowned the Octopus Champion!

Last year players were matched with opponents and dueled each other with kids games and fun tests of skill.

This year, players will meet us in the contest area each morning of the contest to receive the tasks and challenges they will need to complete to score points. 10am Fri - 10am Sat - 10am Sun in the Contest Area

Challenges will be a mixture of geocaching style, codes/ciphers, social challenges and group competition. Submissions will be validated by the Octopus Game team and results will be visible on a live leaderboard like last year.

As you complete those tasks and challenges, you will post submissions on social media. Last year we focused on Twitter, this year we will adding Mastodon, Discord and the DC Forum.

Pre-registration isn't required, but we are capping it at 128 players so there is a sign-up form if you want to ensure your participation. We will be in the contest area at 9am Friday morning for any in-person sign-ups(if we haven't hit our cap).

Everything needed to play will be provided. Participation in Octopus Game is voluntary and neither the organizers, Octopus Master, or DEF CON staff assume any liability. Any violation to the DEF CON CoC are grounds for immediate removal and disqualification from Octopus Game.

Octopus Game at DEF CON 31

10am Fri

10am Sat

10am Sun

in the Contest Area