GULP - Eat or Be Eaten

How GULP Works

The Game

GULP is a multiplayer snake game where orbs represent real money. Eat orbs to grow and accumulate value. Avoid other snakes — if your head hits another snake's body, you die and drop everything.

Getting Started

Pay a fixed entry fee of $0.01 to join a game
Everyone spawns at the same size — it's not pay-to-win
Your snake's value starts at $0.00 and grows as you eat orbs
Hold click or press SPACE to boost (costs balance — you shed money behind you)
Hit a portal for a free speed boost with no penalty

Economics

Event	You Get	House Gets	Map / Killer
Entry ($0.01)	—	50% ($0.005)	50% ($0.005) seeded as orbs
Cash Out	95–98.5% of balance	1.5–5%	—
Death	—	5%	70% near death + 20% scattered + 5% killer bonus

How the House Makes Money

The house takes a small cut at three points: 50% of each entry fee, 1.5–5% when a player cashes out (the rate improves the longer you survive), and 5% when a player dies. The remaining value always stays on the map as orbs or goes directly to the player who made the kill.

Cashing Out

When you cash out (ESC or button), your snake freezes and turns gold for 3 seconds. Everyone on the map can see you're cashing out. During this time you are completely vulnerable — normally if another snake runs into your body, they die. But while cashing out, ANY contact with another snake kills YOU instead. You can't steer, you can't boost, you can't defend yourself. You also can't start a cashout if enemies are within range. Find a quiet spot, then commit.

Cashout Rate

Your keep rate starts at 95% and gradually climbs to 98.5% over 10 minutes of survival. The longer you stay alive, the better your rate — but you risk losing everything. The current rate is always visible above the cash out button.

Spawn Shield

New players get a 3-second shield when they spawn. You'll flash during this time — you can't die and you can't kill. Use it to get your bearings and start collecting nearby welcome orbs.

Controls

Mouse — steer your snake toward cursor
Click / SPACE — boost speed (costs balance)
ESC — cash out and exit the game

Key Mechanics

Portals — purple vortexes spawn randomly on the map. Ride through one for a 3-second speed boost with no segment cost
Orb tiers — orbs range from tiny (green) to mega (red), with higher values giving more risk/reward
Size = liability — bigger snakes are easier to hit. Growing isn't always the best strategy
Milestones — hit $0.01, $0.50, $1, $5+ and get a celebration. Keep pushing or cash out — your call
Killer bonus — when you kill another snake, 5% of their value goes straight into your balance
Cashout rate — your keep rate ticks up from 95% to 98.5% the longer you survive. Shown above the cash out button

Fair Play

Collusion detection prevents two players from farming each other
AFK players are kicked after 60 seconds of inactivity
Death orbs scatter randomly to prevent guaranteed feeding

QUICK RULES

🐍Steer with your mouse. Eat orbs to grow and earn money.

💀If your head hits another snake, you die and drop your money as orbs.

⚡Hold click or SPACE to boost. It costs money — you leave a trail of orbs behind you.

🛡️You spawn with a 3-second shield. You'll flash until it wears off.

💰Cash out anytime to keep your money, but it takes 3 seconds to process. Your snake freezes and glows gold. During this time you are completely vulnerable — any contact with another snake kills you, even if they hit your body. You can't start a cashout if enemies are nearby.

📈You keep 95% of your balance when you cash out. The longer you survive, the more you keep — up to 98.5% after 10 minutes. Your current rate is always shown above the cash out button.