The app takes a form of a live game show, which usually airs at 9 pm US Eastern Time daily, with another show at 3 pm US Eastern on weekdays only for a chance to win between $1,000 and $500,000 USD. If multiple people correctly answer all 12 questions, the prize is split between all the respective winners. Often the prize can be split between as many as 5,000 people, or a buck a person.
The host, usually Scott Rogowsky, but more frequently special guests or a substitute, asks a series of usually twelve increasingly difficult multiple choice questions, each with three possible answers. Players who get a question correct within the 10-second limit move on; the rest are eliminated. It is common for a game to have 12 or 15 questions. Any question that eliminates a greater number of players than get the question correct is deemed a "savage question". Players that correctly answer all questions split the prize money. Originally, the prize for games from Monday through Saturday was $250 but since has increased to $5,000, while Sundays, holidays, and special events have prizes up to $300,000. On Sundays, there is normally a $25,000 prize. The creators have stated that they plan to someday increase prizes to $1,000,000.
Players can earn "extra lives" by inviting friends to sign up for the game using invitation codes. If at any time except the final question the player failed to answer the question correctly, the player can use the "extra life" to return to the game; however, the "extra life" can be used only once in one game. Once used, the "extra life" is no longer valid.
Referral Code: Archane
Unlocks one extra life, to allow one to bypass one question of the twelve, but not a final question.
On March 11, 2018, HQ introduced a new "1 Winner Takes All" format for its Sunday night game. In this version of the game, the host continues asking questions until only one player remains to claim the entire prize. The "extra life" is unavailable on the final question. If a question eliminates all remaining players, the game ends without a winner and the prize money rolls over to the following Sunday's game. The highest number of questions asked so far in this format is 27 on the March 18, 2018 show, which ended with no winner.
On March 26, 2018, in partnership with Nike, HQ also gave away special Nike Air Maxes to all the winners. Also, on April 11, in partnership with Warner Bros. in promotion for the movie Rampage starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, HQ gave away $300,000, their largest prize to date.