alternative reality games

(Newser) - The real economy is mired in recession, but on sites like Second Life, the virtual economy's booming. Thanks to opportunities for entrepreneurs in everything from hats to land, user-to-user transactions totaled to over $567 million in real dollars last year. "The barriers to entry are really, really low for...

(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 “...

(Newser) - News junkies may have missed the oil crisis that pushed gas prices beyond $7 and brought the US economy to a standstill. But nearly 2,000 alternative reality gamers  playing "World Without Oil" online lived every moment, reports Salon in a look at real-world uses of Alternative Reality Games...