How Android’s Easter Eggs Became a Google Tradition

In this video, two Google creatives go behind the scenes at their own company to meet the person responsible for designing each Android Easter egg, and trace the origins of this company tradition.

Every new version of Android has had a dessert-related name, and for the last five years, a corresponding Easter egg as well. The tradition began with Gingerbread in 2010, with a hidden piece of artwork featuring a zombie gingerbread man. Over time the Easter eggs got more elaborate and interactive, until they became fun little mini-games written right into the code.

"They do connect with people, particularly if you're a real fan," says current Easter egg developer Dan Sandler (he is also an Android framework engineer—the eggs are not his full-time job).

Googler Natalie Hammel began the "20% Project" with her friend and coworker Lorraine Yurshansky to get answers to all the questions they had about the ins and outs of Google. Being such a massive company, you could work in one sector and virtually never come in contact with another, so they decided to satisfy their curiosity and document it. It's a nifty bit of PR that, like the Easter eggs, will connect with Android's devotees.

Android's newest version, Marshmallow, arrives today.