The economic idea behind the game
What is a second of distraction worth?
Owlvertime turns one invisible cost of distraction—time—into a visible running total. While you guide the owl through the forest, the game prices each second at an hourly wage and shows how quickly small detours add up.
How the estimate works
After you select a country, Owlvertime applies a recent typical gross hourly employee wage for that country, preferring the official median wage, which better reflects a typical employee than an average skewed by very high incomes. You can optionally enter your own approximate wage instead.
The calculation is deliberately simple: hourly wage × seconds played ÷ 3,600. Your personal total increases only while a run is active and stops when the run ends or the page closes.
For the worldwide statistics page, values are converted to purchasing-power-adjusted USD, based on World Bank World Development Indicators, PPP conversion factor for GDP (PA.NUS.PPP), data year 2025, so that countries with different wage levels and living costs remain comparable. Your personal result while playing is always shown in your local currency. The annual PPP series is derived from the World Bank International Comparison Program and should be reviewed yearly and whenever a new ICP benchmark or revision is released.
What the number means
The number is a playful lens on opportunity cost. It is not research, workplace monitoring, a wage claim, or an official economic statistic. It does not prove that anyone actually lost the displayed amount and is not an exact measure of productivity.
PPP source: World Bank World Development Indicators, PPP conversion factor for GDP (PA.NUS.PPP), 2025 · dataset updated 13 July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers, without the fine print.
How is the value calculated?
We multiply the active gross hourly wage by the number of seconds played and divide by 3,600. A 60-second run at €18 per hour is therefore estimated at €0.30.
Which hourly wage do you use?
After you choose a country, we automatically use a recent typical gross hourly employee wage. We prefer an official median because it better represents a typical employee than an average distorted by very high incomes. You can optionally enter your own approximate gross hourly wage.
Does the counter continue after I close the game?
No. The value only increases while a run is active. Closing the page stops the counter. Completed run values are added to the total kept locally in this browser.
Do you store my personal data?
No player account or personal profile is created. Your exact hourly wage stays in your browser. If you enter an optional leaderboard name, that nickname is sent with completed runs so it can appear in rankings. It is not linked to an email address, exact wage, precise location, or lasting IP address in the application database.
Is anything sent for the international statistics?
After a normal completed run, a reduced record can be submitted: optional leaderboard name, country, a rounded wage range (not your exact wage), your selected time category (paid work/free time/other), duration, score and a short-lived random run ID. Leaving the leaderboard name blank records the run as Anonymous Owl. Your exact wage is never included.
Why are the worldwide statistics shown in USD, not my local currency?
The statistics page compares many countries at once, so figures are converted to purchasing-power-adjusted USD using World Bank World Development Indicators, PPP conversion factor for GDP (PA.NUS.PPP), data year 2025. This accounts for differences in wage levels and cost of living, making countries comparable. Your own results during play remain in your local currency.
Is the displayed amount a real economic loss?
No. It is a playful estimate of what the same duration would be worth at an hourly rate. It is not proof that an employer, employee or economy lost money, and it is not an exact productivity measure.