Akinator
About
Akinator is a website[1] and mobile app that features a cartoon genie who asks several questions before attempting to guess the fictional or real character the player is thinking of. The was inspired by the game "20 questions,"[2] and was created by French programmers Jeff Deleau and Arnaud Olivi in 2007.
Gameplay
On the Akinator site, the genie will ask up to 20 "yes or no" questions before guessing what character the playing is thinking of. If Akinator guesses incorrectly, it will proceed to ask several more questions before guessing again. If it is unable to guess correctly three times, it will prompt the player to enter the actual character's name. The database covers a wide variety of characters and will even show you pictures of the ones he guesses.
Traffic
In April 2011, it was published as a mobile game that cost $1.99 from the iTunes store[3] and $2.27 from the Android store,[4] receiving 4/5 stars on each platform.
As of June 2011, akinator.com has an Alexa[5] rank of 8,856, and a Compete[6] rank of 28,414.
Highlights
Meme Characters
Since Akinator is able to learn from players that manage to stump the AI, it frequently has Internet memes added to its database.
Akinator Kin Game
On December 3rd, 2020, Twitter user @catmaidmika[7] posted an idea for a game, writing, "new idea! go to akinator and answer everything according to yourself but if it asks if you're fictional, put yes. that's your New Kin" (shown below).
Over the following weeks, other Twitter users began trying out the game, often expressing surprise at their results[8][9] (examples shown below).
The game went viral in November 2021, causing "Akinator" to trend on Twitter on November 16th. On November 15th, Twitter user @meowsilly[10] posted their result, a demon, gaining over 100 retweets 1,400 likes (shown below, left). User @rowdiestrogue[11] posted their result, getting This Man (shown below, right).
Search Interest
Search queries for "akinator" saw their first spike in January of 2010, and again in June of 2012.
External References
[2] Wikipedia – 20 Questions / added 6-17-11
[3] iTunes – Akinator app / added 6-17-11
[5] Alexa – akinator.com
[6] Compete – akinator.com
[7] Twitter – @catmaidmika
[8] Twitter – @SakuraEgg_
[9] Twitter – @tendouary
[11] Twitter – @rowdiestrogue
![twinkkpeaks Follow OHMY GOD SO I JUAT PLAYED AKINATOR AND TRIED TO MAKE HIM GUESS HIMSELF BUT HE KEPT ASKING IF THE PERSON I WAS THINKING OF WAS GAY AND HAD A BOYFRIEND AND I JUST KEPT PRESSING YES AND THEN LOOK AT HIS SMUG FACE I think of Akinator's boyfriend the other genie AKINATORS BOYFRIEND sielumia Follow uhm...guys? S 99,880 notes I think of Akinator's Wife spinchs-field Follow genie at your service Copyright/IP Policy JANNA **** Ⓡ [Sonic] Whoa, he's bisexual, I didn't know that! tl](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/002/725/710/810.png "Akinator's Boyfriend & Wife")
Top Comments
Kung Fu Cthulhu
Oct 06, 2013 at 03:03PM EDT
Snickerway
Nov 03, 2015 at 01:29PM EST