Player Solves Perplex City ARG, Second Season Planned

The first season of Perplex City, a card-based Alternate Reality Game (ARG) by Mind Candy, has come to a close, as Mind Candy officials revealed today that the game's ultimate goal, the "Receda Cube", has been found by Andy Darley in England. A game, which is part of the ARG genre previously spotlighted in a 2005 Gamasutra feature on ARGs written by Mind Candy executive producer Adrian Hon, had proved popular both in North America and within its home of Europe. The ARG asked participants to follow numerous clues in the search for the "Receda Cube" and win the prize of $200,000, and according to Mind Candy, over the last two years, Perplex City had been played by more than 50,000 registered individuals from 92 countries. Today Darley, an amateur archaeologist, managed to unearth the Cube buried in Wakerley Great Wood, England in order to claim the reward. In order to receive the reward, Mr. Darley was not only required to locate the Cube, but to bring it in-person to the Mind Candy offices in London, England. Andy Darley arrived at the Mind Candy office, cube in hand, at 12:40PM local time, February 8, and was handed a check for $200,000 for his efforts. The game began when players purchased packs of the cards, which included various types of puzzles, which ranged from trivia questions to origami instructions. Beyond the cards, the game featured the standard hallmarks of alternate-reality games, including real-life gatherings and events, and hidden messages for players embedded in a variety of media. Officials add that the search involved piecing together clues that were present in almost every form of media available, including websites, books, voicemail, text messages and the puzzle cards themselves. With this event wrapping up the initial season of Perplex City, Mind Candy has confirmed that plans are being put in place for the second season. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Michael Smith, CEO of Mind Candy. “We’ve been fascinated watching so many players get involved and really immerse themselves in the community as well as the game. Alternate Reality Games are a brand new kind of entertainment, so I think the incredible response is very encouraging for the future of the genre.”