Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds creates video game inspired by Scout camp

Reynolds and his brother Mac spoke at the Silicon Slopes Summit about their new game 'Last Flag' and the lessons they learned along the way.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 8:47pm

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Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds and his brother Mac spoke at the Silicon Slopes Summit in Salt Lake City about their new video game 'Last Flag', which was inspired by Reynolds' childhood memories of playing capture the flag at Scout camp. The brothers discussed how Reynolds turned to coding during the pandemic to create 'hundreds of prototypes' and how their lifelong dream of making video games was reignited, even as Imagine Dragons took off.

Why it matters

The story highlights how the pandemic inspired many people to pursue new hobbies and skills, like coding, and how childhood passions can resurface later in life. It also showcases the creative ways musicians are diversifying their talents and interests beyond just music.

The details

After roughly six years in the making, 'Last Flag' is the result of the Reynolds brothers' deep love for video games. Reynolds, who said coding was always intimidating to him, taught himself the skill over the past few years using online resources. The game is inspired by Reynolds' fond memories of playing capture the flag at Scout camp as a child, where the flag was hidden and players had to cross a line in the middle to be 'out'. The brothers originally planned to just create the game for their family, but it has since grown into a full-fledged project with a team of over 50 people. 'Last Flag' is set for release on April 14 for PC, with console versions expected shortly after.

  • Reynolds began teaching himself to code during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The brothers have been working on 'Last Flag' for around six years.
  • 'Last Flag' is set for release on April 14, 2026 for PC.

The players

Dan Reynolds

The lead singer of the band Imagine Dragons, who turned to coding during the pandemic and created the video game 'Last Flag' inspired by his childhood memories of Scout camp.

Mac Reynolds

The older brother of Dan Reynolds and the band manager of Imagine Dragons, who has also had a lifelong dream of owning a video game studio.

Imagine Dragons

The popular American pop rock band fronted by Dan Reynolds.

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What they’re saying

“Coding was always so intimidating to me. It seemed impossible to understand, like a foreign language. It was something that scared me, and I really love to do things that scare me.”

— Dan Reynolds, Imagine Dragons Lead Singer (deseret.com)

“I don't even know if I realized how deep of a dream it was for me. I went back and found this paper from third grade that said, 'What do you want to do when you grow up?' and my answer was, 'Own a video game studio,' which was weirdly specific.”

— Mac Reynolds, Imagine Dragons Band Manager (deseret.com)

What’s next

The Reynolds brothers plan to release 'Last Flag' on PC on April 14, 2026, with console versions expected to follow shortly after.

The takeaway

This story showcases how the pandemic inspired many people to pursue new creative hobbies and skills, and how childhood passions can resurface later in life. It also highlights the diverse talents of musicians like Dan Reynolds, who is expanding beyond just music into the world of video game development.