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A Knowledge is Power alternative that needs only your phones
Knowledge is Power was the trivia game that made a whole living room shout: freeze your friend, grab the category they hate, watch the scores flip. Today it is very hard to play. Here is what happened, and what you can play instead with the phones already in your pockets.
What happened to Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is Power (2017) and Knowledge is Power: Decades (2018) were PlayLink games by Wish Studios for PlayStation 4, published by Sony. Two to six players used their phones as controllers, while the questions ran on the TV through the console.
- Both games disappeared from the PlayStation Store by November 2023, without an official announcement.
- The games can't be played without the PlayLink companion app. In December 2023 Google Play stopped offering it for phones on Android versions newer than 11. Later it was removed from Google Play and the App Store altogether.
- Even with a disc, you need a PS4 or PS5, a TV, a shared Wi-Fi network and an old enough phone for every player.
Facts from Delisted Games and the official PlayStation page. BrainMesh is not affiliated with Sony or Wish Studios.
What made it fun, and what BrainMesh keeps
The fun was never the questions alone. It was messing with the people next to you, switching between different kinds of rounds, and a final where the lead could change hands. BrainMesh 2.0 is built around the same party feeling, with its own rules:
- Pranks. Correct and fast answers earn charges. Spend them to freeze a friend's screen, cover their answers with bubbles or shuffle their options. The victim sees who did it.
- Different rounds. Classic questions with four options, Sort it (put items in the right order), Pairs (match two columns) and a Speed round.
- Category vote before classic rounds, so the group decides what to play.
- Final with bets. In the “My money's on you” final, everyone secretly bets points on whether a friend gets the question right.
- Awards such as Chief Saboteur and Comeback, and a rematch in one tap.
What is different
| Knowledge is Power | BrainMesh | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | PS4/PS5, TV, Wi-Fi, PlayLink app | Phones only |
| Players | 2–6 | 1–8, plus bots for practice |
| Internet | Local Wi-Fi with the console | None, phones connect over Bluetooth |
| Where the game is shown | On the TV | On every player's phone |
| Can you buy it today | No, delisted | Free on Google Play and the App Store |
There is no TV and no host character: each player sees the question on their own screen, and the host's phone runs the game. That makes BrainMesh work in places a console never goes: a train, a cabin, a campsite.
How to start a game
- Everyone installs BrainMesh (Android or iPhone, any mix).
- Turn on Bluetooth. Wi-Fi and mobile data are not needed.
- One player creates a game, the others tap “Join”. Up to 8 players.
- The host starts, and the rounds, pranks and final run on their own.
FAQ
Can you still play Knowledge is Power?
Only if you already own the game and have a phone that still has the PlayLink companion app. The games were delisted from the PlayStation Store by November 2023, and the app was later removed from Google Play and the App Store.
Is there a Knowledge is Power game for phones only?
There is no official one. BrainMesh is a similar party quiz with pranks, different round types and a betting final that runs entirely on phones, without a console or TV.
How many people can play BrainMesh?
Up to 8, each on their own phone. Android and iPhone play together.
Does BrainMesh need internet?
No. The phones connect over Bluetooth.