Rawdog Simulator leaves players baffled as “weird” flight trend becomes a game

After “raw-dogging” flights went viral on TikTok, Rawdog Airlines created a simulation experience where players can rawdog a long flight without having to leave the comfort of their home.

In June, TikTokers went viral for “raw-dogging” their flights. To do so, passengers stare at the back of the seat in front of them and ditch their accessories, meals, and any other distractions.

Some participants have even intentionally gone over 10 hours without food, water, sleep, and music during their flights.

After raw-dogging took the internet by storm, a game was created by Rawdog Airlines where a simulator takes players through an online flight experience.

To play, participants can create a username and enter their fake airline credentials such as flight time and destination.

The simulator then takes players through the terminal and onto an airplane where other passengers await. You are even able to choose any seat that’s available on the flight.

As the game begins, a message will appear on your device: “Engines warming up… Eye tracker booting … Locking in (please accept camera permissions, focus on the screen and wait for a lock).”

The purpose of the game is to keep your gaze focused for the longest amount of time. At the end of the game, the top 10 competitors are shown on the leaderboard with the amount of time they were able to stare at the simulator.

“Where your eyes move away from the screen, our gaze tracking technology (delivered through the built-in camera on a participant’s smartphone, tablet or other computer device) will detect this and accordingly stop the Game’s timer on our Website,” Rawdog Airlines explained on their homepage.

The Rawdog Simulator game does not cost any real money. However, there is a fake travel expense checklist that pops up on the screen before takeoff (and accepting the terms and conditions, of course).

After news about the simulation game went viral, plenty of gaming enthusiasts weighed in with their disapproval.

“The game where you win by doing absolutely nothing. Just stare at a virtual seat back for hours. It’s like real air travel, minus the tiny pretzels and crying babies. Perfect for those who find actual gaming too exciting,” wrote one on X.

“This is just …….. something,” added another.

Though some also shamed players for being “bored” enough to play the “weird” game, it’s only a matter of time until it goes as viral as the real raw-dogging experience.