Internet Roadtrip Lets Thousands Navigate Google Street View Together

Internet Roadtrip is an innovative multiplayer online experience where thousands of users collectively navigate a virtual car through Google Street View. Every 10 seconds, viewers vote on the car’s direction, horn honking, or radio station changes, creating a dynamic and interactive journey.

Created by Neal Agarwal, the game is described as a “road-trip simulator” and draws inspiration from the Twitch Plays Pokémon phenomenon. However, Internet Roadtrip offers a more organized and less chaotic experience, supported by modern tools like Discord for community management.

Unlike traditional games with clear objectives, Internet Roadtrip emphasizes the journey itself. Players enjoy spontaneous radio broadcasts from Bowdoin College’s station and the scenic backroads of Maine, fostering a shared sense of community and discovery rather than racing toward a destination.

The experience moves at a slow pace, slower than walking, which encourages patience and collective decision-making. Moderators on Discord help manage expectations, explaining the impracticality of long-distance goals like driving to Las Vegas or Alaska due to time constraints and gaps in Google Street View imagery.

Internet Roadtrip exemplifies how digital platforms can blend social interaction, real-time collaboration, and immersive technology to create novel cultural experiences. It highlights the potential for community-driven content curation and shared exploration in virtual environments.

This project also underscores the importance of integrating tools like Discord for moderation and communication, which enhance user experience and maintain order in large-scale interactive applications. Internet Roadtrip’s success points to new frontiers in multiplayer game design and internet culture engagement.