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Perplex City ARG To Be Released in North America
by Nich Maragos [PC]
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January 31, 2006
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Perplex City, a card-based Alternate Reality Game by Mind Candy, will make its North American debut at Toy Fair in New York City from February 12-15th. Already a growing phenomenon in its home of Europe, the American launch will allow players in this territory to participate in the search for the "Receda Cube" and win the prize of $200,000.
According to Mind Candy CEO Michael Smith, American and Canadian players have already begun participating in the worldwide treasure hunt. "There are currently many Americans and Canadians on our leaderboard who have been buying the cards through online retailers or eBay," said Smith. "We've now made it much easier to get access to our cards in North America, so everyone now has the opportunity to get immersed in Perplex City." Cards will be available for $5 per pack.
The game begins when players purchase packs of the cards, which sport various types of puzzles, which range from trivia questions to origami instructions. Beyond the cards, the game has the standard hallmarks of alternate-reality games, including real-life gatherings and events, and hidden messages for players embedded in a variety of media.
Perplex City's live events tend to be more dramatic than most, with a recent gathering culminating in the escape via real-life helicopter of a villain. The game is particularly notable because it is one of the first attempts to independently monetize an Alternate Reality Game - previous efforts, particularly 4orty 2wo Entertainment's ARGs based around Halo 2 and Gun, have been promotional devices funded for marketing purposes.
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