The Coldplay concert has now inspired a whimsical point-and-click game. Furthermore, it is gaining popularity online. During the band’s performance on July 15 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the stadium’s “Kiss Cam” focused on a couple in the audience, only for them to react in alarm, hiding their faces and ducking out of view. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin made a humorous remark about the couple. The individuals in question were revealed to be Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, a tech company based in Cincinnati, and the company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot. The spectacle of their embarrassed reaction quickly went viral on social media, with users promptly dubbing them the “Coldplay Canoodlers.” Now, that viral footage has been transformed into a video game. Named ‘Coldplay Canoodlers,’ the game is the creation of Jonathan Mann, who is well-known for his daily songwriting efforts on YouTube that have continued for over a decade. His game is a playful hidden object adventure that challenges players to search through a pixelated concert crowd to find the notorious couple. Once they are located, the audio from the original clip plays, featuring Martin’s voice, complete with its awkwardness, which adds to the absurd humor of the entire situation.
Mann utilized AI technology and “vibe coded” the game. In this game, players assume the role of the camera operator responsible for identifying the CEO and the HR chief canoodling within the crowd. Players earn 10 points each time they successfully find the couple. While the game has entertained many, the real-life repercussions for the two executives are serious. Astronomer issued an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Astronomer is dedicated to the values and culture that have guided us since our inception. Our leaders are expected to exemplify the standard in both behavior and accountability. The Board of Directors has commenced a formal investigation into this matter, and we will provide further details shortly. Neither executive has publicly addressed the situation. However, for the time being, the ‘Coldplay Canoodlers’ continue to be a topic of interest. It not just in viral memory, but in the pixels of an internet-powered satire.
