Be Inspired...by Alternate Reality Games

I'm constantly coming across articles, links, videos, and presentations that inspire me... so I decided I'd group some of them that belong together to share with you.* Today I'll begin with Alternate Reality Games (ARG).

If you've never heard this term before, don't feel too bad. It's more often used by academics and professionals in the field than the person on the street, and it lacks a simple handle, like 'movie', 'game', 'book', that would make it catch on.


Wikipedia's definition is pretty good:

An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions.

ARG's can also be bundled within a  'transmedia', 'multiplatform' or 'crossplatform' project.

Probably the most cited ARG of recent times is 'Why So Serious' for the Dark Knight. This transmedia project gained over 10 million participants in 75 countries, using hundreds of web pages, interactive games, mobile phones, print, email, real world events, video and unique collectibles. Words can't convey this experience nearly as well as the below video.

The Dark Knight Viral Campaign from Red Dune Films on Vimeo.

Other notable and much talked about ARGs that were created by the same people (of 42 Entertainment) include:

Year Zero to promote the Nine Inch Nails album.
"Launched in February with a cryptic message on a tour T-shirt, fleshed out in dozens of websites, scary voicemail messages, Morse code blips, murals, fliers and other real-world propaganda, "Year Zero" reaches a peak (but not its conclusion) with today's album release. There's never been such an extensive or well-planned campaign involving a major pop release. But "Year Zero" represents something more than just killer marketing." Anne Powers, Los Angeles Times

Nine Inch Nails Year Zero viral Campaign from Red Dune Films on Vimeo.


ilovebees to promote Halo 2.
"Widely dispersed players coordinate to find and answer thousands of ringing pay phones all across the United States and provide correct answers to recorded questions.When all the answers have been supplied, the latest episode in an internet-based War of the Worlds-esque radio serial is unlocked and made available to its rabid fans." Daniel Terdiman, Wired

Want to know more about ARGs? Here are the best resources on the net:

• Christy Dena ARG Stats : Great stats and resources.
• ARGNet : Alternate Reality Gaming Network 
• ARGNetCasts: Web podcast series talking about ARGs with leading
• Unfiction: Forum, links and resources.
• Deaddrop Blog dedicated to Alternate Reality Gaming

*Well, that and I realise that my usual epic long posts can become a burden when I get busy... I really must master the art of shortform one day :)