Hunt the Mouse: Coveted gold coin worth $500,000 found by 3 friends

The free-to-play game kicked off on Oct 10 and was set to run for a whole month.

Three friends have struck gold — literally — after finding the $500,000 gold coin hidden as part of the annual treasure hunt game Hunt the Mouse.

The trio, Wee Kiat, Edward and Erwin, discovered the coin at 1.43am on Sunday (Nov 8), game organiser Sqkii announced in social media posts later that day.

In an Instagram story uploaded by Sqkii, Wee Kiat showed the exact location where they found the gold coin — behind leaves under a bench in front of Blk 208 at New Upper Changi Road in Bedok.

Sqkii said they completed their verification processes and confirmed that the three men found the coin "fair and square" using the provided hints.

If you're sad about not finding the gold coin in time, Sqkii reassures participants that there are still more silver coins to be found.

The free-to-play game kicked off on Oct 10 and was set to run for a whole month.

Participants had to wait for clues from Sqkii, which were delivered three times a day via its Instagram, Facebook and Telegram pages.

Players could also use the game's real-time map that provided daily hints.

Sqkii also urged participants to stay safe and reminded them that coins would not be hidden underwater, in places of worship, or buried underground.

This year's Hunt the Mouse game is more lucrative than its past editions. Last year, the grand prize was $100,000, with a gold coin worth $50,000 and 100 silver coins worth $500.

melissateo@asiaone.com