Alternate Reality Game
Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) are defined as "interactive networked narratives that use the real world as a platform, often involving multiple types of media and game elements (or 'transmedia' elements) to tell a story that may be affected by the players."[1] They often include real-time events that react to player input, and benefit from or require player collaboration.
By interacting with the real world environment, and being driven by player engagement on their own time, ARGs can create increased investment or sense of immersion in a story by blurring the boundaries of space and time where the story exists and how it can impact the player.
They can also change how a player experiences a mundane environment, for example their local city, by re-imagining the environment through an otherworldly lens.
Example games
- Dance of Ribbons - Included ARG elements in the promotional materials for their second game. Clues spread out across promotional instagram posts, merchandise orders, youtube, and the main website gave players clues as to the main plot of the second game. Though it wasn't clear if players interacting with this puzzle changed any events of the game, players did collaborate on finding the clues together within a transmedia experience, which referenced their experiences and knowledge from the first game to build anticipation for the sequel.[2]
See also
- Pervasive games
- Immersion
- Multiform - Some multiform definitions have room to include larps which incorporate ARG elements.
References
- ↑ Kate Wellham (February 25, 2024) Alternate Reality Games, Immersive Experience website, retrieved 24th April 2026.
- ↑ Ash, A Dance of Ribbons II ARG Notes, player generated material (presentation slides), 15 Aug 2024. Retrieved 24th April 2026.