Bernie Peng knew his girlfriend loved video games - so he rigged up a special proposal she was sure to say yes to.
People have come up with some pretty unique proposals over the years – we’ve seen everything from an engagement-worthy art installation to a sitcom surprise. But in terms of sheer skill, effort, and ingenuity, we don’t think anything can beat New Jersey computer programmer Bernie Peng’s version of popping the question: He spent an entire month reprogramming his girlfriend’s favorite video game, Bejeweled, so that after she achieved a certain level, the image of a ring would drop down onto the screen.
Luckily, Peng’s girlfriend, Tammy Li, had the gaming skills to get to the special engagement bonus round –and she couldn’t help but say yes.
Peng documented his awesomely geeky proposal on his blog in January, and within minutes, his creative gesture was all the buzz on hundreds of video gaming sites. Soon, even the creators of Bejeweled heard about how he’d manipulated their game to score an engagement – but instead of being angry, they were so impressed that they offered to pay for part of his wedding.
“Most video game companies would frown on people manipulating their games,” Garth Chouteau, a spokesman for PopCap, the company that creates “Bejeweled,” told The New Jersey Star-Ledger. “But it won him a woman. As a bunch of geeks we have to say, ‘Bernie, hats off to you.’”
Originally published April 20th, 2008.