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Mickey Ds Lurks Behind Spooky 'Lost Ring' Game

Golden Arches launches weirdest marketing campaign yet

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 1, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Players had spent days searching for clues to The Lost Ring, an Olympic-themed online mystery game, before uncovering the stunning identity of the game’s shadowy creator: McDonald’s. Golden arches and burgers are nowhere to be seen in the dark contest—instead it’s promoting the Olympics, while “strengthening our bond with the global youth culture,” said McDonald’s marketing chief. “You can’t put an R.O.I. on this.”

The Lost Ring is an “alternate reality game,” a complex puzzle players work together to solve, hunting for clues on the Internet and in real life. Lost Ring revolves around a “forgotten” Olympic sport that’s played blindfolded—which players will eventually have to play. “There is a real-world payoff,” promised the game’s developer.

This screenshot shows a character from The Lost Ring. Clicking on it sent gamers to a blog post with clues about the mystery.
This screenshot shows a character from The Lost Ring. Clicking on it sent gamers to a blog post with clues about the mystery.
The Lost Ring is strengthening our bond with the global youth culture, said McDonald's marketing chief. You can't put an R.O.I. on this.
The Lost Ring is "strengthening our bond with the global youth culture," said McDonald's marketing chief. "You can't put an R.O.I. on this."   (Thelostring.com)
A woman awakes with a mysterious message tattooed on her arm in this image from the Lost Ring trailer.
A woman awakes with a mysterious message tattooed on her arm in this image from the Lost Ring trailer.   (Thelostring.com)
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Check out the game
The Lost Ring

Wisdom of crowd prevails in Lost Ring
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McDonald's • marketing • 2008 Beijing Olympics • alternative reality games • online gaming • The Lost Ring

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