Top 8 Video Games Featuring Augmented Reality Games (ARG)

In the contemporary digital landscape, Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) have emerged as a popular marketing strategy. An ARG typically involves embedding a puzzle or mystery within various media, such as marketing content, game updates, or even the games themselves, allowing players to engage more deeply with the narrative.

ARGs can be launched before or after a game’s release, often revealing intriguing details about the game’s universe, its characters, or even key information like its title or release date. Some examples, like the rumored Half-Life 3 ARG, blur the lines between reality and fiction, leaving fans guessing and eager for more.

Numerous games have incorporated ARGs over the years, each with its level of complexity. These interactive experiences not only pique player interest but also create a sense of community as fans come together to solve intricate puzzles. Below, we explore some of the standout games that have successfully utilized ARGs, both before and after their launches.

8 AI: The Dream Files – nirvanA Initiative

Nine Eyes TV

Renowned for integrating thought-provoking social and scientific themes, Kotaro Uchikoshi’s “AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative”features an ARG that serves both as a promotional tool and a narrative device. Prior to release, Spike Chunsoft introduced “Nine Eyes TV, ”a website embellished with nine prominent eyeballs, each representing a puzzle that, once solved, revealed segments of a password.

Once the password “NIRVANAINITIATIVE”was complete, fans could access a countdown page that ultimately premiered the game’s initial announcement trailer on YouTube, heightening the excitement surrounding its release.

7 The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth

Finding The Keeper

Tainted Keeper in a shop in The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

When launching “The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, ”creator Edmund McMullen attempted to implement an intricate ARG to reveal the hidden character known as the Lost. However, due to premature leaks by dataminers, that mystery fell flat. Undeterred, McMullen invested greater effort into an ARG for the game’s “Afterbirth”DLC, demanding players to complete various achievements tied to the new Greed Mode, in addition to making real-life phone calls and deciphering GPS coordinates.

After a month-long hunt, Reddit users decoded a voicemail leading to specific coordinates in Santa Ana, California. Following the clues, players unearthed a small doll inscribed with notes, which played a critical role in unlocking the new secret character, the Keeper—demonstrating the engaging potential of ARGs in community building.

6 Overwatch

The Hunt For Sombra

Upon “Overwatch’s”launch, players eagerly scoured its maps for hints and lore, particularly surrounding the elusive character “Sombra.” This mystery deepened with the reveal of Ana’s trailer, which embedded clues in a myriad of promotional materials.

A complex web of hexadecimal values, QR codes, and encrypted messages fueled speculation, keeping fans engaged throughout 2016 until Sombra’s official reveal at BlizzCon—a clever blend of marketing and storytelling that enriched the player experience.

5 Batman: Arkham Asylum

The ArkhamCare Website

Before launching “Batman: Arkham Asylum, ”the developers created an immersive website called ArkhamCare, designed to resemble a typical hospital site. Digging deeper into its seemingly innocuous content, players discovered a hidden backend login page that allowed them to investigate Warden Quincy Sharp’s shady activities relating to a tragic fire at Blackgate Prison.

This ARG cleverly framed the narrative as a mystery-solving experience where players inadvertently assisted The Riddler in executing his own plans, blurring the lines between gameplay and reality.

4 BioShock 2

There’s Something In The Sea

To build excitement for “BioShock 2, ”2K and Irrational Games launched “There’s Something in the Sea, ” a promotional site centered around investigator Mark Meltzer’s search for missing girls linked to Rapture. Weaving real narrative threads into the player’s experience, Meltzer’s journey and discoveries would later tie directly into the game’s storyline through found audio logs, enhancing immersion and interest.

3 Deltarune

The Spamton Sweepstakes

Toby Fox’s penchant for embedding secrets is well-known, as exhibited in the Spamton Sweepstakes, launched between the chapters of “Deltarune.”This charitable event showcased the character Spamton G. Spamton while simultaneously revealing hidden website links that provided valuable insights into Chapter 3’s characters and settings.

2 Inscryption

The Secret Of The OLD_DATA

The Bone Lord in Leshy's Cabin in Inscryption

“Inscryption”uniquely blends gameplay with an ARG narrative. The game’s premises revolve around a streamer’s discovery of a buried PC game—a theme that sets the stage for hidden puzzles. Players must decipher codes embedded within live-action cutscenes and gameplay, leading to a deepening understanding of the mysterious OLD_DATA and the fictional GameFuna company.

1 Portal 2

The Potato Sack

One of the most elaborate ARGs was created for “Portal 2″under the name “Potato Sack.” In 2011, a bundle of indie games was promoted on Steam, each updated with ARG elements that resonated with the Aperture Science theme. Players engaged with the challenges, unlocking clues and ultimately leading to the early release of the much-anticipated sequel, proving that community effort can yield incredible results.

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