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A mysterious new alternate reality game is afoot.
I received a strange UPS package in the mail over the weekend, and at first glance, the package seems like a hackneyed bit of junk mail -- or a love note from the Unibomber, thanks to an empty packet of vitamin powder. But a closer glance revealed a couple of deliberately placed items, suggesting a new alternate reality game is underway. Fun. Let's dig in.
Inside the envelope was a paper crane, a memo from the Department of Energy and an empty Emergen-C packet with a sticker with a multicolored chemical model, all pictured above.
The Unfiction Fan forums uncovered a date from the redacted memo which calls for a Dr. Eugene Gough's resignation: January 30, 1985, and the word Holomove, which turns up an in-game site.
Welcome to the rabbit hole.
The Holomove site uncovers to the blog of Nate Bozeman, who was recently hired as lead software developer for the company. Bozeman's blog drops clues about his employers and links to cryptic puzzles he was required to solve as part of the recruitment process. Game players can try their hand at the puzzles and apply for jobs through the Holomove site.
Bozeman's blog also has loads of extra content, like YouTube videos and links to accounts on MySpace, LinkedIn and Pownce. Alt gaming site ARGNet points out the game reaches far into the real world, citing two actual Microsoft employees who've Twittered about Bozeman and appear to be involved in the game, leading to speculation that the game is linked to a new product release -- possibly for a new video interface that uses holograms.
My first hunch is early viral marketing campaign for time-travelin' futuristic show The Sarah Connor Chronicles, just renewed for a second season -- or another sci-fi show. The recruitment puzzle references the year 2015 (by way of a Ray Kurzweil excerpt, but still), which we saw in flashbacks on *TSSC -- *but that's all I've got to go on for now, which admittedly isn't much.
Anybody got a clue or any ideas about where this is all leading?
Let us know what you've dug up in the comments below.
See also:
- Sci-Fi Shows Dominate Fox Fall Line-up
- Potential Terminator Immersive Game Picks Up Speed
- Secret websites, Coded Messages: The New World of Immersive Games
- Code-Name Cloverfield - Let the Viral Marketing Begin
- Q&A With ARG Designer Jane McGonigal
Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com*
