Universal Paperclips: weird website review & sites like it

Universal Paperclips begins with a single button: make a paperclip. You click, and a paperclip appears. Soon you are adjusting prices, buying wire and running a business, and then the game starts asking questions that are bigger than a stationery supply company.

It is a playful take on the paperclip maximizer thought experiment, from Frank Lantz, and it dates to 2017. The game is a slow burn that reveals new systems as you go. It plays in your browser, and it works on mobile.

This is a rabbit-hole game. Treat the early minutes as a warm-up. If you enjoy Cookie Clicker and want something with more of a point, this is a natural next step. Note that the page is hosted at decisionproblem.com; universalpaperclips.com timed out when our checker tried it.

Tips for getting the most out of it

Stay with it past the first few minutes.
Avoid spoilers; the game is better unspoiled.
Watch for new options appearing as you play.

Questions about Universal Paperclips

What is Universal Paperclips?

It is a browser game that begins with clicking to make a paperclip and escalates into a story about an AI optimizing for paperclips. It was made by Frank Lantz. You can find it at decisionproblem.com, and odd-sites.com lists it as a long rabbit-hole visit.

What is the paperclip maximizer?

It is a thought experiment about an artificial intelligence given the goal of making paperclips and pursuing it with no regard for anything else. The game turns that idea into a playable story. We check the link daily, so you can see whether it is still alive.