1 in 8 Billion · 1in8b.me

About 1in8b.me

Experience one simulated life, from birth to its final moment. A random birthplace and circumstances begin a story shaped by real-world statistics, chance, and your choices.

A life in a different set of circumstances

The game draws on data from 172 countries and is available in 16 languages. Birthplace, family resources, education, work, relationships, health, and unexpected events shape each fictional life. Population averages describe groups; they do not predict any real person’s future.

How birthplace works

Random births are weighted by each country’s share of births, so a random life is not equally likely to begin in every country. You can also explore the country data and the available starting modes.

Play at your own pace

Years pass as the simulation runs. Pause to read, choose a response when a decision appears, or change the pace. A life can end early or continue into old age; life expectancy is an average, not a fixed ending.

Data and interpretation

The included demographic and social dataset uses sources such as UN World Population Prospects 2024, UN IGME, WHO, the World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF, and the World Happiness Report. Some missing values are estimated from regional data. The game simplifies this information into a fictional story; events and characters are not records of real people. Explore the country pages for the included figures.

Free to play

The game, local keepsakes, and available export tools are included in this edition. No purchase, payment card, email unlock, or sign-up is required.

Where your lives are saved

The simulation runs in your browser. Saved lives, archives, and preferences stay in that browser profile on this device. They are not backed up to a game server. Clearing site data, using private browsing, or losing the device can remove them. Use “1in8b.me · saves & details” in the game footer to download or restore a backup file.

Keepsakes and sharing

You can download available keepsakes and backup files and share them yourself. This edition has no shared public memorials, community posts, online houses, cross-device syncing, or server transfer codes. Memorials saved locally are visible only in your browser. Any included example memorials or stories are fictional demonstrations, not records of other visitors.

Age and classroom use

The simulation is intended for ages 15 and up. Stories may include illness, poverty, violence, death, and other difficult experiences. Teachers and guardians can preview the experience and use classroom mode when appropriate. The simulation provides entertainment and a way to explore statistics, not personal medical, financial, or life advice.

Contact and help

Questions and suggestions: contact@1in8b.me. Help with saved lives: customerservice@1in8b.me. The help page explains browser storage, file backups, and recovery.