ALAN WAKE II – ARG INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN

Alan Wake II sees the player controlling Federal Branch of Inspection (FBI) agent, Saga Anderson. She arrives in Bright Falls at the beginning of the game to uncover the mysteries surrounding a string of murders that appear to have a connection, leading into the events of Alan Wake II. We thought outside the brief: ‘What if we created a set of kits that directly set Saga on her journey?’ and created an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) experience.

We then created four plot- and narrative-focused influencer kits, designed to introduce recipients as a ‘Rookie’ agent to the FBI, given three cold case files related to disappearances across the Bright Falls area that the agency had previously failed to solve. Connecting those cases and solving the clues within would then act as the catalyst to sending Saga to the world of Alan Wake.

Released in stages, the first kit was an introductory box welcoming ‘Rookies’ to the FBI. Complete with a letter from their point-of-contact were official tools to identify them as a member of the branch (personalised ID card, lanyard, mug and notepad) as well as practical tools to help them piece the evidence together (gloves, pins, UV light, pen, UV light, Post-It notes and Blu Tack).

Inside the introduction box though was also a compartment with an unhinged cult member – a ‘Secret Admirer’ – and evidence linking Rookies to an online video, to show them there was more to this case that met the eye… Shortly after, Rookies received Kit 2 featuring two case files with supervisor letter for direction, a map of Bright Falls and evidence including police and autopsy reports, polaroids of the victims and crime scenes, missing posters, newspaper reports and a car fob.

By exploring the evidence with the UV light, Rookies would hints amongst the files leading to a coded clue in the fob. 

Later, the third kit would arrive with details of a third murder with the body featuring similar marks to those found on the other two retrieved corpses. The supervisor’s letter highlighted that, if the cases could be connected, the FBI would be able to send its best people to Bright Falls to investigate – but not before then.

Kit 3’s contents were similar to the evidence in the second kit with the addition of a hidden code cipher on an Oh Deer Diner menu and locked box with key evidence inside. Also included were Dictaphone recordings from another missing person indicating that the victims fell prey to something not of this world.

Once our Rookies felt they had pieced the clues together, they could email their supervisor with their findings. If they were wrong, though, copy was created with clues to point them in the right direction, letting them know they were on the right track but the evidence wasn’t concrete enough to send units to Bright Falls (as well as fun copy for any silly answers sent to the Branch).

Once Rookies had solved the case, they would receive a congratulatory email outlining that the connection was strong enough between the cases to send Saga and her team to Bright Falls, starting the events of Alan Wake II. The fourth and final – this time from the Secret Admirer – would then be sent out to influencers, featuring a slew of cool custom Alan Wake II merchandise.

Inside Kit 4 were an Alan Wake II-branded Rains Fishtail Parka, a life-sized deer mask, an Oh Deer Diner thermos, a Cult of the Tree necklace and an unhinged postcard from the Secret Admirer – all in a special cult-design printed box. TAKEOFF handled design and narrative direction of each kit, production of case files and content, creation of kit clues, goodies, digital content, packaging and distribution.