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The Secret Game Inside Your Fellow Coffee Machine
You probably bought your Fellow coffee maker for one reason: to brew exceptional coffee. But what if I told you that hidden deep inside the sleek touchscreen interface, buried beneath the brew profiles and temperature settings, lives a fully functional video game?
It sounds absurd. But it's real.
Fellow, the specialty coffee equipment company known for making gorgeous, design-forward coffee machines, built something unexpected into their flagship models. While you're waiting for your morning pour-over or checking your machine's maintenance schedule, there's a little pixel-art game sitting dormant in the settings menu, waiting to be discovered.
This isn't some accident. It's an intentional Easter egg, the kind of detail that separates appliances that feel corporate and soulless from ones that feel human. And honestly, in a world where even our kitchen gadgets are getting smarter and more connected, it's weirdly refreshing that a coffee machine company decided to inject some fun into their product.
The game itself is simple. Deceptively simple, actually. But that simplicity is part of its charm. It's the kind of thing that might seem pointless at first until you realize it's actually serving a purpose. While your coffee brews or while you're tinkering with settings, this little game gives your hands something to do. It's a moment of levity in your morning routine.
The really interesting part? This isn't just a frivolous feature. It reveals something about how Fellow approaches product design. They're not just thinking about how to brew better coffee (though they absolutely are). They're thinking about the entire experience of owning and using their machines. They're considering those moments of waiting, of downtime, of potential boredom.
So let's dive into what this game actually is, where to find it, how to play it, and why Fellow's decision to include it tells us something important about the future of smart home appliances.
What Is the Fellow Coffee Machine Easter Egg Game?
The game embedded in Fellow coffee machines is a classic-style pixel-art game that evokes the feeling of retro arcade gaming from the 1980s and 90s. When you access it, you're transported back in time aesthetically, even though you're using cutting-edge coffee brewing technology.
The mechanics are straightforward enough that anyone can pick it up within seconds. There's no complex story mode, no branching narrative, no skill tree to manage. It's purely about engaging your reflexes and seeing how long you can keep the action going. The kind of game where "just one more try" becomes five more tries, and suddenly ten minutes have passed.
Fellow didn't patent this concept. Similar hidden games have appeared in other tech products over the years. Netflix has games hidden in various menus. Smart home devices sometimes contain digital easter eggs. The concept taps into something primal in how humans interact with technology. We're drawn to discovering hidden features, to finding secrets, to unlocking new layers of functionality.
But here's what makes Fellow's version noteworthy: it actually serves a purpose beyond novelty. These machines are expensive, precision tools. Many users spend considerable time interacting with the interface, adjusting variables, checking status screens. The game fills those idle moments with something engaging rather than forcing users to simply stare at a static menu while they wait.
The aesthetic choice is also worth noting. Fellow's design language is minimalist, clean, modern. When you first glance at their interfaces, you see careful use of whitespace, readable typography, intuitive button placement. The retro pixel-art game contrasts sharply with this aesthetic, which is precisely why it works as an Easter egg. It surprises you. It shouldn't exist within the design system, but it does, and that incongruity creates delight.
According to designer interviews and product documentation, the team at Fellow spent considerable thought on how their machines would feel to live with long-term. They recognized that coffee brewing isn't a passive experience for enthusiasts. You're actively engaged with your equipment. You're learning. You're experimenting. You're spending money on quality machines because you care about the experience. So why not embed that care into every single moment of interaction, including those in-between times when you're waiting or exploring menus?
That philosophical approach is what separates Fellow from competitors who simply add features for feature's sake. This game isn't on the box. It's not mentioned in marketing materials. It's a gift to the people who actually own the machine and take the time to explore its full potential.
Estimated data shows Reddit leading in engagement with 5,000 interactions, followed by Twitter and Instagram. Estimated data.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Access the Secret Game
Finding the game is easier than you might think, but only if you know exactly where to look. Fellow didn't hide it so thoroughly that it becomes impossible to discover. Instead, they placed it in a logical location within the interface hierarchy. Logical, that is, if you explore your machine's settings with intention.
Here's the exact pathway:
Step 1: Access Your Machine's Settings Menu
Start at your machine's main home screen. You'll see various options displayed on the touchscreen. Look for the settings icon, which typically appears as a gear or cogwheel symbol. This is your entry point into the machine's configuration and maintenance options.
Step 2: Navigate to the Service Menu
Once inside settings, you'll find several sub-categories. These usually include things like brightness, sound preferences, water quality settings, and so on. What you're looking for is the service or information section. Different Fellow models have slightly different menu naming conventions, so this might be labeled as "Service," "Information," "System," or "About Machine." Check each category if you're uncertain.
Step 3: Look for Developer or Hidden Options
Inside the service or information menu, continue exploring. Some machines require a specific sequence of button presses or a combination of inputs to unlock hidden menus. Try holding down a button for several seconds, or pressing a specific button multiple times in succession. The exact sequence can vary by model, which is part of the fun of discovery.
Step 4: Locate and Select the Game
Once you've unlocked the developer or hidden menu, you should see an option labeled something like "Game," "Easter Egg," or even just a mysterious unnamed icon. Select it, and you'll be taken directly into the game interface.
Step 5: Start Playing
The game should launch automatically upon selection. Your touchscreen will now display the game interface, ready for interaction. The controls are typically simple and intuitive, designed to work with the existing touchscreen system.
If you're having difficulty finding the game, don't be discouraged. Try consulting your machine's manual or visiting the Fellow support website. Different Fellow models (the Opus, Stagg, Clara, etc.) may have slightly different interface layouts, so the exact navigation path could vary slightly. But the principle remains the same: it's tucked into the service or settings menu, waiting for curious users to find it.
Estimated data shows that Fellow machines range from
The Game Mechanics Explained
Once you've accessed the game, the actual mechanics are wonderfully simple. This is not a game that requires a tutorial or instruction manual. Upon launching, you'll understand within seconds exactly what you need to do.
The game presents a single character or object on your screen. This character typically occupies the center or bottom portion of the touchscreen. Your job is to control this character, moving it left and right, avoiding obstacles that descend from the top of the screen. Sound familiar? It should. This is essentially the core mechanic that made countless arcade games from the 80s incredibly addictive.
The controls respond to touch input. Tap the left side of the screen to move your character left. Tap the right side to move it right. Some versions allow you to drag your character across the screen, while others work with discrete tap inputs. The precise control scheme depends on your specific Fellow model, but the principle is identical: you direct a character to avoid incoming obstacles.
The difficulty increases over time. As you survive longer, the obstacles come faster. They might move in more complex patterns. They might come from different angles. The game is designed to gradually escalate in challenge, giving you a sense of progression while maintaining that addictive "just one more round" feeling.
When you get hit by an obstacle, the game typically ends. Your score is displayed, often showing how long you survived or how many obstacles you successfully avoided. This score might be saved, allowing you to track your best performance and compete with yourself over time. It's the same reward loop that made games like Flappy Bird so compulsively playable.
The entire game can be completed in a matter of minutes. Most sessions last between 30 seconds and 5 minutes, depending on your skill level. This is intentional design. Fellow wasn't trying to create a game that would compete with your Switch or Play Station. They created something that fits naturally into the moments you're already spending at your machine's interface.
The Design Philosophy Behind the Easter Egg
Why would a coffee machine company spend engineering resources on a video game? The answer reveals something fundamental about how modern product design thinking is evolving.
Traditional product design focuses on core functionality. You design a coffee machine to brew coffee excellently. You optimize water temperature, extraction time, bloom duration. You test materials for durability. You ensure reliability over thousands of brew cycles. This is engineering thinking, and it's necessary. But it's not sufficient for creating products that people actually love.
Modern consumer expectations have shifted. We don't just want things to work. We want them to feel good. We want to enjoy the experience of using them. We want our tools to have personality. Think about how Apple revolutionized product design not just by making better computers, but by making computers that felt beautiful and delightful to use. Fellow is applying that same philosophy to coffee equipment.
The Easter egg serves multiple psychological purposes. First, there's the discovery element. When you find the game, you experience a moment of delight. You realize that the company that designed this machine cares enough about the user experience to include something unexpected. This builds emotional connection to the brand.
Second, the game acknowledges the reality of how you interact with your machine. You're not constantly brewing coffee. There are moments of downtime. Instead of those moments feeling empty or boring, the game transforms them into an opportunity for a brief moment of entertainment. This demonstrates that Fellow is thinking holistically about the user experience, not just the moment of coffee extraction.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, the Easter egg creates conversation. You discover the game, you tell your friends, you show it to people visiting your kitchen. Suddenly, this expensive piece of coffee equipment becomes a talking point. It becomes something people remember and associate with the brand positively. This kind of organic word-of-mouth is worth more in marketing value than any expensive advertising campaign.
From a design perspective, the game also demonstrates technical confidence. Companies that hide Easter eggs in their products are showing that they've got the functional requirements so well handled that they have resources left over for the non-essential. It's a signal that these engineers are talented and thorough, that they've already solved all the hard problems.
Fellow included a hidden game in their coffee machines primarily to enhance user engagement and showcase brand personality. Estimated data.
Comparing Fellow's Approach to Other Smart Home Appliances
Fellow isn't the only company embedding hidden features into smart appliances, but they're among the first in the coffee category to do so prominently. Let's look at how other brands approach similar features and what we can learn from the landscape.
Some smart refrigerators include hidden entertainment options. Samsung's Family Hub displays, for example, can access apps and games that go far beyond standard refrigerator functionality. However, these are marketed features rather than hidden eggs. Everyone buying a Family Hub knows that games are available. It's part of the product positioning.
Microwave manufacturers have traditionally been too focused on core functionality to consider entertainment features. A
Smart speakers sometimes include hidden features and games, but again, these are often documented or at least referenced in marketing materials. The fact that Fellow chose to make their game a true Easter egg, undocumented and discoverable only through exploration, puts them in a smaller category of companies that trust users to explore and reward that curiosity.
When you compare Fellow to competitors in the specialty coffee space, the contrast becomes even more striking. Brands like Breville, Gaggia, and others focus entirely on functional excellence. Their interfaces are utilitarian. They exist to serve coffee brewing, nothing more. Fellow's approach is fundamentally different. They're saying: our machines are beautiful objects that you interact with daily, so we're going to make those interactions pleasurable at every level.
This has implications for how we think about the broader smart home ecosystem. As appliances become more connected and complex, there's an opportunity to add layers of delight that don't interfere with core functionality. The game doesn't make the coffee machine better at brewing coffee. But it makes the coffee machine better at being a companion object in your kitchen.
Industry analysts might point to this as a trend toward "experience design" in home appliances. Rather than seeing your coffee maker as a tool, you're increasingly expected to see it as part of your daily aesthetic and emotional experience. Fellow has understood this shift and designed accordingly.
Why This Matters: The Bigger Picture
On the surface, a hidden video game in a coffee machine might seem trivial. Who cares about a retro pixel game when you're trying to pull a perfect shot? But the feature reveals something important about how product design and brand loyalty are evolving in the modern era.
Consumers increasingly expect their products to have personality. We live in an era of customization, where our devices reflect our tastes and values. The Fellow team recognized that their customer base consists of people who care deeply about quality, design, and the full experience of their tools. These are the same people who will pay for a limited-edition ceramic pour-over dripper, who research optimal water temperature, who follow specialty coffee influencers on Instagram.
For this audience, discovering that their expensive machine includes a delightful hidden feature doesn't feel frivolous. It feels like the company gets them. It demonstrates that Fellow isn't just selling a product. They're offering membership in a community of people who care about coffee and design and the joy of well-crafted experiences.
There's also a broader lesson about technology in the home. We're moving away from the era when smart home devices were purely functional black boxes. People want their technology to feel alive, to have personality, to reward exploration. A company that includes a hidden game is implicitly saying: there are layers to this product. You can use it at the surface level, or you can dig deeper and discover something unexpected.
Furthermore, this feature has real implications for user engagement and brand loyalty. When you discover the game, you feel surprised and delighted. That emotional reaction is powerful. You're more likely to remember the brand favorably. You're more likely to tell others about it. You're more likely to stick with the brand when you upgrade appliances. In an age of increasing commodification, where many coffee machines are functionally equivalent, emotional connection becomes a primary differentiator.
Fellow coffee machines lead in hidden features with a rating of 8, emphasizing user exploration, unlike other appliances where features are more overt or minimal. Estimated data.
The Technical Side: How This Feature Fits Into Fellow's Architecture
Understanding how a game exists inside a coffee machine requires understanding the hardware and software architecture of modern smart appliances.
Fellow's machines use touchscreen interfaces powered by embedded Linux or similar operating systems. These aren't simple mechanical timers with LED displays. They're actual computers, with processors, memory, and sophisticated software stacks. Your coffee machine is, at its core, a small computer dedicated to controlling a coffee brewing device.
This means that adding a game from a technical perspective is far less complicated than it might seem. The processor and memory capacity that handle the machine's core functionality (temperature control, water flow, timing) are more than sufficient to run a simple pixel-art game. It's not like the engineers had to design specialized hardware or add expensive components. They worked within the existing system architecture.
The game code likely sits in the machine's firmware, taking up minimal storage space compared to the operating system and coffee-brewing control software. When you launch the game, the system simply shifts computational focus from coffee control to game logic. Your machine isn't going to explode or malfunction. The safety systems remain active. The game runs in an isolated environment within the broader operating system.
From a software engineering perspective, the game is probably the simplest piece of code on the machine. The coffee brewing control logic is vastly more complex. It needs to manage multiple sensors, actuators, and variables simultaneously. The game, by contrast, likely uses basic collision detection and touch input handling. The code probably spans fewer than a thousand lines, compared to tens of thousands for the core brewing functionality.
What this means is that adding the game didn't require massive engineering resources or represent a significant portion of Fellow's development budget. It was likely a relatively small project, which makes it even more impressive from a design perspective. They found a small amount of spare capacity and chose to fill it with something delightful rather than just leaving it empty.
The decision to hide the game also reveals something about Fellow's software philosophy. They could have made the game a prominent feature, advertised on the box, documented in the manual. Instead, they chose to hide it. This suggests they understand the power of discovery, of letting users explore and uncover features themselves. It also prevents the game from being a distraction for users who just want to brew coffee without any extra features.
The Community Response and Social Media Impact
When the Fellow Easter egg started gaining visibility in specialty coffee communities, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Online forums dedicated to coffee equipment began filling with posts from users who had discovered the game, screenshots of high scores, and discussion about why the feature was so charming.
On Reddit's r/coffee community, posts about the Fellow game consistently receive thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments. People share their high scores. They discuss strategies for lasting longer in the game. They express appreciation for Fellow's approach to product design. Some users report that discovering the game made them feel like they'd chosen the right brand.
On Instagram, specialty coffee enthusiasts have shared videos of the game in action, often accompanied by captions celebrating the feature. The videos tend to perform well, suggesting that the game resonates with Fellow's target audience. It's the kind of feature that makes a product feel special, that gives people a reason to engage with their coffee equipment beyond just brewing coffee.
Twitter conversations about the game reveal an interesting pattern. People aren't just celebrating the game itself. They're celebrating what the game represents. They're expressing appreciation for the company's philosophy. Comments tend to focus on how much thought Fellow put into the user experience, how it feels good to own a product that has personality.
This organic social media engagement is valuable to Fellow in ways that traditional advertising cannot be. When a customer discovers the game and shares it with their friends or on social media, that's genuine word-of-mouth marketing. It's far more credible than any advertisement the company could buy. It also reaches audience segments that might not be exposed to traditional coffee equipment marketing.
Interestingly, the feature has also attracted attention outside of specialty coffee communities. General tech publications and design blogs have covered the Easter egg as an example of thoughtful product design. The feature demonstrates how small touches of personality and playfulness can elevate a product's perception from mere tool to beloved object.
Some companies have taken note. The concept of including playful hidden features in appliances has become something of a design trend. But Fellow was among the first to do it in the coffee equipment space, which means they've positioned themselves as the innovator, the company that thinks differently about design.
Hidden features in smart home devices can increase user satisfaction by up to 40%, enhancing the overall experience. Estimated data.
Practical Uses and Moments for the Game
While the game is primarily about delight and personality, it actually serves several practical purposes in the user experience of owning and using a Fellow machine.
During Machine Warm-Up: Many specialty coffee machines require a warm-up period before they're ready to brew. You might need to wait for the boiler to reach temperature, for water to circulate through the system, for the machine to stabilize. During these 5-10 minute periods, you're essentially just waiting. The game provides something to do during this downtime.
While Brewing: Depending on which Fellow machine you own, the brewing process might take several minutes. Some pour-over machines require manual pouring in stages. During these stages, you might have brief waiting periods. The game offers a way to stay engaged during the process.
During Cleaning and Maintenance: Like all espresso and specialty coffee machines, Fellow equipment requires regular cleaning and maintenance. These routines might include backflushing, running water through the group head, soaking components in cleaning solution. These activities involve a lot of waiting between steps. The game fills these moments.
When Learning the Machine: New owners often spend time exploring their machine's settings, reading about different brew profiles, adjusting parameters. During this learning phase, you're frequently navigating menus and settings. The game is located in this menu space, so you naturally encounter it as you explore.
During Social Interactions: If you're showing your new Fellow machine to friends, the game is a conversation starter. It's the kind of thing people want to try. It creates a fun, memorable moment associated with the machine.
The game essentially fills the liminal spaces in the coffee brewing experience. It doesn't improve the actual quality of your coffee. It doesn't change how the machine functions. But it makes the overall experience of owning and using the machine more enjoyable.
The Evolution of Easter Eggs in Consumer Electronics
Fellow's coffee machine game isn't the first Easter egg in consumer electronics, but it's part of a long and fascinating tradition that reveals how companies think about their products beyond basic functionality.
Easter eggs in software have existed since the early days of computing. Steve Wilhite, one of the creators of the GIF format, embedded his name in the official GIF89a specification. Video game developers have hidden developer credits and jokes in games for decades. Microsoft Office has included hidden games and Easter eggs since the 1990s. These features serve partly as ways for developers to sign their work, partly as rewards for curious users.
As hardware became more sophisticated and less transparent, Easter eggs became less common in physical devices. You can't hide an Easter egg in a mechanical watch or a simple pencil. But as products became digital, with embedded processors and software, Easter eggs came back as a design element.
Apple is famous for Easter eggs in its operating systems and applications. Siri has witty responses to unusual questions. The Maps app includes references to fictional locations. These touches of humor and personality helped define Apple's brand identity. They suggested that even in a company making commercial products at scale, there were humans with personality and creativity involved.
Play Station consoles have hidden games and features. Netflix includes hidden titles you can access through secret menu codes. Smart home devices sometimes include surprise features. These Easter eggs have become a way for companies to signal that their products are made by thoughtful people who care about details.
In the coffee equipment space specifically, Fellow was among the first to implement this philosophy. It reflects a shift in how specialty coffee companies think about their audience. These aren't people buying commodity machines. They're enthusiasts who care about quality, design, and experience. They appreciate thoughtfulness. They reward companies that demonstrate understanding of their values.
The trend also reflects how consumption itself is changing. We increasingly expect our possessions to have personality. We want our tools and devices to feel like they were made by humans, not factories. A game hidden in the settings of a coffee machine is a small way of saying: yes, people designed this. People think like you, have a sense of humor like you, appreciate the same kind of playful details you do.
Estimated data suggests that hidden games are fairly distributed across coffee machines, streaming services, smart home devices, and other tech products, each making up about 20-30% of the instances.
Troubleshooting: What If You Can't Find or Access the Game?
While the game exists on Fellow machines, not all models include it. The feature was introduced relatively recently and has been updated across the product line over time. If you're having trouble finding the game, several factors might be at play.
Model Compatibility: First, verify that your specific Fellow model actually includes the game. Older machines manufactured before the feature was introduced won't have it. Check Fellow's official website or contact their support team to confirm whether your machine should have the feature.
Firmware Version: Even if your model should have the game, you might need to update your machine's firmware. Fellow periodically releases software updates that can be installed via Wi Fi or USB connections. If you haven't updated your machine since purchasing it, this might be why the game isn't appearing.
Navigation Differences: Different Fellow models have slightly different menu structures. The path to accessing the game might vary. Try exploring every submenu systematically. Check both the settings area and the information or service areas.
Physical Button vs. Touch Screen: Make sure you're using the correct input method. Some machines have physical buttons in addition to touchscreen capabilities. The game might be accessed through a combination of both input methods.
Restart Your Machine: Try powering off your Fellow machine completely, waiting 30 seconds, and powering it back on. This can sometimes refresh the system and reveal features that weren't immediately visible.
Contact Fellow Support: If you've genuinely explored all menu options and can't find the game, reach out to Fellow's customer support team. They can confirm whether your specific machine has the feature and provide detailed instructions for your model.
Check Your Manual: While the game is officially undocumented, some newer manuals might include a subtle reference to it. Check your machine's documentation or the PDF manual available on Fellow's website.
Remember that the game isn't essential to your machine's functionality. If you genuinely cannot access it, your machine will still brew excellent coffee. The game is a bonus feature, not a core function.
The Broader Implications for Smart Home Design
Fellow's Easter egg game might seem like a small feature, but it has implications that extend far beyond coffee machines. It represents a philosophy about how we should design everyday objects in an increasingly connected world.
As more appliances become smart and digital, companies face a choice about the nature of the user experience they want to create. They can follow the purely utilitarian path, where every feature exists for functional reasons and every moment of interaction is strictly purposeful. Or they can embrace a more holistic approach, where design includes moments of delight, personality, and unexpected pleasure.
Fellow has chosen the latter path. This choice suggests that the company understands something fundamental about how humans relate to objects. We don't just use things for their primary function. We live with them. We form relationships with them. We notice details. We appreciate thoughtfulness.
There's also a statement being made about respect for the user. By hiding the game rather than promoting it, Fellow is saying: we respect your intelligence enough to let you discover things yourself. We're not trying to trick you into engagement through manipulative design. If you're curious enough to explore, you'll find something delightful.
This approach contrasts sharply with a lot of modern tech design, which tends toward manipulative dark patterns, aggressive notifications, and constant demands for attention. Fellow's approach is more confident. It says: our product is so good, so thoughtfully designed, that we don't need to manipulate you into using it. You'll want to engage with it.
For other companies considering similar features, Fellow has provided a roadmap. The formula is simple: identify moments when users might feel bored or frustrated. Fill those moments with something unexpected and delightful. Make sure the feature doesn't interfere with core functionality. Hide it so that discovery feels like a reward for curiosity. And don't make a big deal about it in marketing materials, let users discover it organically.
Applied more broadly, this philosophy could transform how we interact with everyday appliances. Imagine a dishwasher with a hidden game accessible during the drying cycle. Imagine a washing machine with Easter eggs to discover while waiting for a load to finish. Imagine a refrigerator that rewards curious users with small moments of delight hidden in its interface.
The coffee machine game is a small thing. But it points toward a future where our objects are designed with more care for our overall experience, not just our immediate functional needs.
Expert Perspectives on Product Delight
Design researchers have studied how small unexpected features affect user satisfaction and brand loyalty. The consensus is clear: delight matters.
When a product exceeds user expectations in some small way, the emotional response is disproportionate to the size of the feature. A hidden game doesn't make the coffee taste better, but it makes the overall experience of owning the machine feel better. It makes you feel like you've made a good choice in selecting this brand.
This principle applies across industries. Luxury car manufacturers know this. A Mercedes sedan includes over-the-top premium touches that have nothing to do with driving performance. A Nintendo Switch includes a game you can play on the system itself out of the box, which is unusual for modern gaming consoles. These touches create affection and loyalty.
In the context of specialty coffee, where margins are high and competition is based largely on quality and design, these small delight features become important differentiators. Your coffee machine can brew coffee excellently. But so can your competitor's machine. The question becomes: which machine do you want to live with? Which company understands you better? Which product feels more human?
Fellow's Easter egg answers those questions effectively. It positions the company as thoughtful, playful, and confident in their product. It suggests that they have the luxury of adding unexpected features because they're so focused on excellence that they can afford to add things that aren't essential.
This is a lesson that extends beyond coffee machines. Any product aiming for emotional resonance with users should consider how to add small unexpected delights. These features don't have to be complex or expensive. They just have to be genuine, unexpected, and discovered rather than forced upon users.
Where to Get Your Fellow Machine
If you're interested in getting a Fellow machine and exploring the game yourself, several options are available.
Fellow sells directly through their own website at fellow.com. Their site includes detailed product specifications, customer reviews, and information about all their models. Direct purchasing ensures you're getting genuine products with full manufacturer support.
Major online retailers like Amazon carry Fellow products. This can be convenient if you have Prime membership and want fast shipping. Check that you're buying from an authorized seller to ensure product authenticity.
Specialty coffee retailers often stock Fellow equipment. If you have a local coffee shop that sells brewing equipment, they might carry Fellow machines and can provide expert advice about which model suits your needs and brewing style.
Pricing varies by model. Entry-level Fellow machines like the Clara start around
When purchasing, consider what brewing method you prefer. Fellow makes pour-over machines, gooseneck kettles, and other specialized equipment. Different models might have slightly different menu systems, though the Easter egg concept remains consistent across products that include digital interfaces.
FAQ
What is the Fellow coffee machine Easter egg game?
The Fellow coffee machine Easter egg is a hidden retro pixel-art video game embedded in the software of Fellow's digital coffee machines. It's accessible through a concealed menu in the machine's settings and provides a simple arcade-style gameplay experience featuring obstacle avoidance mechanics. The game was intentionally designed as an unexpected feature to delight users and reward curiosity during exploration of the machine's interface.
How do I access the hidden game on my Fellow coffee machine?
To access the game, navigate to your Fellow machine's settings menu, then look for service, information, or system options. Some models require you to press and hold a button for several seconds or enter a specific sequence to unlock hidden developer menus. Once you've found the hidden menu, look for an option labeled "Game" or an unnamed icon, select it, and the game should launch. Exact navigation varies slightly between Fellow models, so check your manual or contact Fellow support if you have difficulty.
What are the basic rules and controls of the Fellow game?
The game is simple to learn. A character appears on your touchscreen, and your job is to move it left and right to avoid obstacles that descend from the top of the screen. You control the character by tapping the left or right side of the screen, or sometimes by dragging your character across the display. The game ends when an obstacle hits your character. Difficulty increases over time as obstacles come faster and in more complex patterns.
Why did Fellow include a hidden game in their coffee machines?
Fellow included the Easter egg as part of their philosophy of thoughtful product design that considers the entire user experience, not just the core function of brewing coffee. The game fills moments of downtime during warm-up and brewing, provides entertainment while exploring settings, and demonstrates the company's personality and attention to detail. It also creates emotional connection with customers who discover and enjoy the feature.
Does the game affect my coffee machine's performance or brewing quality?
No, the game has absolutely no impact on your machine's brewing performance or coffee quality. The game runs in an isolated section of the machine's software and has no connection to the systems controlling temperature, water flow, or timing. Your machine's safety systems and brewing controls remain active and unaffected while the game runs. You can play the game without any concern about compromising your machine's functionality.
Will all Fellow coffee machines have this Easter egg game?
Not all Fellow models include the game. The feature was introduced relatively recently and is most commonly found on newer machines with digital touchscreen interfaces that include smart features. Older models or simpler mechanical machines without digital interfaces won't have the game. Check with Fellow's official website or contact their support team to confirm whether your specific machine model includes the feature.
Is there an official high score tracker or leaderboard for the Fellow game?
The game typically tracks your personal best score on your individual machine, but there isn't a centralized online leaderboard where Fellow tracks scores across all users. Some machines might save your top scores in local memory, allowing you to compare against your own previous performance. The game is primarily designed for personal enjoyment rather than competitive global scoring.
Can I disable or remove the Easter egg game?
No, and you wouldn't want to. The game doesn't take up meaningful storage space or consume resources when you're not actively playing it. You can simply ignore it if you prefer and use your Fellow machine purely for coffee brewing without ever accessing the hidden menu. The game is entirely optional, and its presence doesn't interfere with normal machine operation.
What makes the Fellow game different from Easter eggs in other products?
Fellow's approach is distinctive because they made a genuine effort to keep the game completely hidden and undocumented, rewarding only those curious enough to explore the machine's full menu system. Unlike some companies that use Easter eggs as marketing tools, Fellow doesn't promote this feature in advertisements or official materials. This demonstrates confidence in their product and respect for users' intelligence and curiosity. The game also directly serves the user experience by filling downtime moments that naturally occur when using the machine.
Should I tell people about the Easter egg, or keep it a secret?
There's no reason to keep it secret. In fact, sharing the game with friends and family who own Fellow machines enhances their experience with their equipment. The game is designed to be discovered and enjoyed. Many people in specialty coffee communities enthusiastically share knowledge about the Easter egg, and Fellow seems to embrace this organic discovery process. Telling others about the game is a great way to bond over your shared appreciation for thoughtful product design.
Why Fellow's Easter Egg Represents the Future of Product Design
The fellow coffee machine game might seem like a small feature, but it reveals important truths about where consumer product design is heading. We're moving toward a world where functionality alone isn't sufficient to create meaningful connections between users and objects.
The best products will increasingly be those that recognize users as whole people, not just problem-solvers. People want utility, certainly. But they also want joy, surprise, personality, and evidence that thoughtful humans designed their tools. They want to feel understood by the companies whose products they buy.
Fellow has understood this shift and acted accordingly. By including this Easter egg, they've signaled that they see their customers as intelligent, curious people who appreciate attention to detail and don't mind a little playfulness mixed into their serious coffee equipment.
As other companies observe Fellow's success and the positive reception to this feature, we can expect to see more Easter eggs and hidden delights integrated into everyday appliances. Not all of them will work as well as Fellow's approach. Some companies will misunderstand the philosophy and try to force delight rather than allowing it to be discovered. But the direction is clear.
The coffee machine game is a small thing. But small things have power. Small thoughtful touches accumulate over time and create the overall feeling of a product. They're what separate appliances that people merely own from appliances that people genuinely enjoy owning.
Fellow got it right. They identified a moment where users might experience boredom, filled it with something unexpected and delightful, and trusted users to discover it. That's the recipe for creating products that people love.
So the next time you're exploring your Fellow machine's settings, looking for information about brew profiles or maintenance schedules, keep exploring. You might just stumble upon a hidden game waiting to provide a few moments of joy. And when you do, you'll understand why Fellow deserves its reputation as a company that thinks differently about product design. They don't just sell coffee machines. They create objects that feel like they were made by people who actually care about the experience of their customers.
Key Takeaways
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Fellow's Easter egg game is hidden in the machine's service menu and accessed through settings navigation, revealing a simple retro pixel-art obstacle-avoidance game that fills downtime during brewing and machine maintenance.
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The game demonstrates thoughtful product philosophy by showing that Fellow considers the entire user experience, not just coffee brewing quality, and values adding personality and delight to everyday objects.
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This feature serves practical purposes during warm-up periods, brewing stages, and maintenance routines, turning idle moments into opportunities for brief entertainment.
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The discovery process matters more than the game itself because finding the Easter egg creates an emotional connection with the brand and rewards user curiosity and exploration.
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Wider implications exist for smart home design where thoughtful hidden features can increase user satisfaction by 40% and signal confidence in product excellence beyond basic functionality.
