Game designer Reed Berkowitz compares QAnon to game design:
There is no reality here. No actual solution in the real world. Instead, this is a breadcrumb trail AWAY from reality. Away from actual solutions and towards a dangerous psychological rush. It works very well because when you “figure it out yourself” you own it. You experience the thrill of discovery, the excitement of the rabbit hole, the acceptance of a community that loves and respects you. Because you were convinced to “connect the dots yourself” you can see the absolute logic of it. This is the conclusion you arrived at.
Berkowitz notes that QAnon is propaganda that harnesses the power of super-ordinate goal completion through the use of clues. In well-designed games, players know they’re playing one. Anons, however, don’t. To them, it’s real.