What Is Longevity Escape Velocity?
Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) describes a future threshold where biomedical progress adds more than one year of remaining life expectancy per calendar year. Once reached, aging becomes a manageable condition rather than an inevitable fate.
LEV is not about a single miracle cure — it is about cumulative, accelerating progress.
Origins of the Game
LEV: The Game was originally conceived in 2014 as a simple educational prototype. After the original codebase was lost, the project was rebuilt from the ground up between 2020 and 2023.
- Created and presented by Gennady Stolyarov II
- Programming collaboration with Urian Vukotic
- Informed by actuarial data, including CDC mortality tables
- Inspired by the work of the Longevity Escape Velocity Foundation
- Incorporates AI-generated art and original music
Core Gameplay Mechanics
Energy Economy
Each turn grants a limited amount of energy, forcing players to prioritize survival, research, and advocacy.
Mortality Risk
Characters begin at advanced age with realistic annual death probabilities, reflecting real actuarial risk.
Random Events
Stochastic survival rolls and life events introduce uncertainty — just like the real world.
Player Choices
Lifestyle
- Fitness and exercise
- Nutrition optimization
- Risk avoidance
Advocacy
- Support anti-aging research
- Promote transhumanist causes
- Accelerate technological adoption
Technology
- SENS damage-repair therapies
- Stem cell interventions
- Gene therapies and cancer cures
- AI assistance and nanotechnology
Endgame Vision
Survive long enough and humanity begins to unlock transformative milestones:
The future is not guaranteed — but it can be strategically influenced.
Why This Game Matters
LEV: The Game challenges fatalistic thinking about aging by showing how incremental, rational decisions — when combined across society — can lead to exponential outcomes.
By gamifying real scientific principles, the project makes longevity science accessible, motivating, and actionable.