Mobile game "June's Journey" embeds lost Revolutionary War artifacts to crowdsource real-world discoveries

Wooga, the Berlin-based studio behind "June's Journey," announced a limited July feature embedding images of lost 18th-century artifacts into the game's hidden-object scenes. The company worked with historians, museums, galleries, and some descendants of original owners to choose and integrate the missing items, framing the initiative around the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Among the artifacts featured in the game is an 18th-century Battle of Cowpens medal awarded to Gen. Daniel Morgan after his forces defeated the British in South Carolina in 1781. The medal was later stolen from a bank vault and has not been seen in more than 200 years. The game also features one of two engraved cannons surrendered at the Battles of Saratoga in 1777, which went missing in 1813 following the British and Canadian recapture of Ogdensburg, New York. Other items include part of King George III's royal coat of arms from Philadelphia's Christ Church, an embroidered textile depicting a New Jersey estate tied to Revolutionary War general William Alexander, and a red British military coat last recorded in Connecticut in 1901.

Wooga enlisted Don Hagist, managing editor of the "Journal of the American Revolution," to help select which artifacts to include. Hagist solicited suggestions from the journal's contributors and described the concept as "brilliant" for reaching millions of people. He said anyone submitting a tip would be treated with reassurance rather than suspicion: "Nobody's going to come and arrest you because you have this — we're just grateful to know it exists." Hagist will consult with experts to authenticate any reported finds.