> Welcome to the Game 3 Beginner Guide
Released July 16, 2026 on Steam for $17.99, Welcome to the Game 3 drops you into a motel room with one goal: clear your debt by navigating the dark web. You have one night, 52 websites to explore, 8 threats hunting you, and 4 rival NPCs competing for the same prize. This guide covers exactly what you need to do in your first hour — no fluff, no generic advice, just actionable steps based on the released version (Patch 1.0.1).
// TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Your First Priority: Lock the Door
When the game starts, lock the motel room door immediately. This is not optional. Lucas can pick an unlocked door and enter silently — the squeaking lockpick sound is your only warning. Every time you return to your room after exploring, make locking the door the first thing you do, before you touch the computer.
While you're at it, memorize the positions of these five things in your room: the panic button (desk-mounted, red), the light switch, the peephole on the front door, your computer, and the back door shortcut that connects to the electrical room. You will use all five repeatedly through the night.
2. The Motel Security Loop
Survival in WTtG3 follows a constant loop: work → check → secure → work. Here's the rhythm that keeps you alive:
- Work at the computer — browse one page, read it fully, record clues
- Pause and listen — stop typing, listen for 3–5 seconds. Rustling grass? Lockpicking? Music? Footsteps?
- Check sensors — glance at your motion sensor readouts. A short beep (~2 seconds) means Tanner. A long beep (5–6 seconds) means Lucas.
- Check the peephole — before opening any door, look through the peephole. If Tanner is outside, wait him out.
- Return to work — only continue browsing when you're confident the room is clear
3. Computer Interface & Tools
Your computer has several applications you need to understand before your first real browsing session:
In-Game Browser (CryptBrowser)
This is your main tool. Navigate deep web sites by typing URLs. Always check the source code (right-click → View Source or similar) on every page you visit — the game hides puzzle pieces, hashes, and clues in HTML comments, invisible text, and image metadata. Pages like Red Triangle, Eyecon, and The Hole are particularly known for hidden content.
Notes App
Keep a running document of: URLs you've found, passwords and usernames (even ones that don't make sense yet), symbols and codes, NPC names from CryptChat, and the connections you spot between pages. The game connects information across all 52 sites — one forgotten detail can block progress for an entire hour.
ShadowFetch (Download Manager)
Some websites contain downloadable files. NPCs on CryptChat frequently request these files and pay ~40 DOS each. This is one of the best money-making methods in the game — prioritize downloading files when you find them, even if you don't know who wants them yet.
CryptChat (NPC Messaging)
You can chat with 4 rival NPCs who are also racing to clear their debts. You can buy information from them, trade website links and downloaded files for DOS, or pay to sabotage competitors. Be strategic: they can do the same to you. Building a positive relationship with at least one NPC is worth the investment.
Security Software & Firewall
You can purchase firewall upgrades that block intrusions passively — but this means you miss out on DOS earnings from successfully counter-hacking. The tradeoff is yours to make based on how confident you are with the minigames (see the Puzzle Guide for full details on all 5 minigames).
4. Website Timing: When to Browse What
The game's 52 websites are split into three categories: 26 always available, timed sites that appear during specific minute windows each hour, and permadead sites that are permanently gone after their window closes. Over 47 sites can become permanently dead as the night progresses.
Always Available (Browse Anytime)
Blushing Brides, Cavity Lease, Crisis Calls, Doctor Murder, Dont Waste It, Doughy, Encrave, Forever Friend, Jakobs Sink, LostTapes, Oneless, Prohibited Stockpile, Red Triangle, Ring Ring, Symphoros Chosen, Synapse Decay, Tango Down, Thanks For Visiting!, The Bomb Maker, The Hole, The Light Within, The Loogaroo, Time Sharing, TRACK06, VoluVision, World Wide Workers.
See the complete timed site schedule on our Deep Web Sites page for the full minute-by-minute breakdown of all 24 timed sites.
5. DOS Coin Economy: How to Earn
DOS Coin is your currency for everything — upgrades, security software, intel from NPCs, and emergency supplies. You have four ways to earn it:
Sell Website Links (Easiest, Lowest Risk)
Every time you discover a new darknet site, save the URL in your Notes app. NPCs on CryptChat periodically request website links and pay DOS for them. This is passive, risk-free income — always accept these requests when they appear.
Sell Downloaded Files (Best Payout)
Use ShadowFetch to download files from websites that offer them. CryptChat NPCs pay approximately 40 DOS per file — the highest consistent payout in the game. Always grab files when you see them.
Mine DOSCoin via VirtMesh (Passive, Tier-Dependent)
After gaining access to VirtMesh users, you can mine their computers for DOSCoin. Users are grouped into two tiers with different generation rates (see next section). Higher-tier users generate DOS significantly faster.
Gambling (High Risk — Avoid Early)
The slot machine app can produce large payouts but is extremely inconsistent. Only gamble DOS you can afford to lose completely. In your first few hours, this is not worth the risk.
6. VirtMesh Mining Tiers & Rates
VirtMesh users generate DOS at different rates. Knowing which users to prioritize saves you hours of waiting. The values below are the confirmed generation rates from the released game:
> First Tier
- WebTyk — 1.84
- UserJyx — 1.80
- NetVorn — 1.45
- CloudFuz — 0.88
- SysBlip — 0.87
- DevQuix — 0.64
- DataRax — 0.30
> Second Tier
- Pheonix — 4.79
- OpsHex — 3.23
- GameDrux — 2.57
- PrintYiv — 2.43
- FileNuz — 1.84
- VM_Wekl — 1.74
- BlackShiv — 1.49
- LabBzop — 0.42
7. Shopping Priorities
Not all upgrades are equal. Here's what to buy and in what order:
🔥 High Priority — Buy First
- Motion Sensors — Place them at the left motel end, right motel end, and Lucas' back door. This 3-sensor setup gives you reliable warnings for the two most common direct-entry threats.
- Cameras — Two cameras facing the utility poles let you spot The Kidnapper's white van earlier. Without cameras, you can still see it through the motel's front windows, but cameras give you more reaction time.
- Earbuds/Headphones — Audio cue identification is the single most important survival skill in the game. Earbuds make quiet sounds like Tanner's grass rustling and the Bomb Maker's ticking significantly easier to hear.
- Security Software — Firewall upgrades block intrusions passively. The tradeoff is losing DOS earnings from counter-hacking, but for new players the safety buffer is worth it.
💰 Medium Priority
- Puzzle Piece Locators — After you establish basic defenses, these help you find clues faster across the 52 sites.
- Speed Drugs — Found in motel rooms, not purchased, but worth mentioning: they make escaping The Breather significantly easier.
❌ Low Priority / Avoid Early
- Gambling — The slot machine is a DOS sink, not a source. Only use it when you have a comfortable surplus.
- Luxury upgrades — Any upgrade that doesn't directly improve survival or clue-finding can wait until your second or third night.
8. Sensor Beep Language
The motion sensor system tells you exactly which threat is approaching — but only if you understand what the beep duration means:
| Beep Duration | Threat | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| ~2 seconds (short) | Tanner | Press panic button, secure the door. On first encounter he slams into it and falls. Later encounters he wags his finger and leaves. |
| 5–6 seconds (long) | Lucas | Turn off the lights, hide, and prepare. The long beep gives you time to get into position before he starts picking the lock. |
| Front door sensor | Noir (Myra) | Don't stand up from the desk. Turn your view away and wait. She says "Good boy" and leaves. |
9. First-Hour Checklist
Here's your exact sequence for the first 60 minutes of the game. Follow this and you'll have a strong foundation for the rest of the night:
- Lock the motel room door — before you do anything else
- Find one bag of meth — search nearby motel rooms. At least one meth spawn appears to be guaranteed. Carry exactly one bag; if you find extras, remember where you left them
- Learn the motel layout — locate the electrical room, internet boxes, package pickup locations, and the Ace of Spades room (required for Tucker's music chase event)
- Collect and place motion sensors — three sensors: left motel end, right motel end, Lucas' back door. Do not place one by the dumpster — multiple players report it may cause Lucas to attack or spawn repeatedly
- Browse the 26 always-available sites — start with the safest ones, note every URL, check every source code, download every file
- Check timed sites at each :00, :15, :30, and :45 mark — set a mental timer or use your phone
- Do NOT visit The Bomb Maker — not until progression demands it
- Sell links and files to CryptChat NPCs — build your DOS reserve before buying upgrades
- Purchase motion sensors, cameras, and earbuds — in that order of priority
- Keep the rhythm — work → check → secure → work. Every. Single. Time.
Use headphones or earbuds for the best experience — many threats have subtle audio cues that are difficult to hear with speakers.
