Bioshock 2 - Viral Marketing 101
Written by Knight Carver Monday, 15 February 2010 08:53
As most of you know, Bioshock 2 hit our consoles last week and to celebrate TGV's own Bioshock 2 expert Knight Carver has put together a 3 part series on 2K's latest masterpiece. Part 1 goes indepth on the game's extensive Viral Marketing campaign that many of us spent hours clicking over to uncover further tidbits unknown to many others. Enjoy! ~DA
If there’s one thing that really impressed me, it’s the way in which 2K went about keeping fans intrigued and interested in the lead up to Bioshock 2.
After the huge success of Bioshock, there had to be a Bioshock 2. Eventually, official word came that the sp storyline would occur 10 years after Bioshock 1, while a mp component was to run independently just before Civil War erupted.
In early March of 2009, the Something in the Sea (SITS) website was launched. I remember seeing it, intrigued, but having no idea what this had to do with the storyline. Below you’ll find a summary of what went down here, and if nothing else, you’ll (hopefully) get some insight into the care and love that 2K have continued to invest into this franchise.
The Cult of Rapture website posted up audio diaries that were cut from the game in the week before Bioshock 2’s release in an effort to increase the salivation of hungry fans. Two days before the release of Bioshock, a strange transmission went online. In the form of a pod cast, one could connect to Rapture Records and listen to the period music that would accompany the game.
Bioshock 2 mp programmers introduced themselves on the 2k forums and answered questions from frothing fans. Even Jordan Thomas (the creative director of Bioshock 2) jumped on board.
The SITS alternate-game reality website ran from March 09’ to the start of this very month (Feb 10’) and was separated into three distinct phases. It should be noted that all the documents on the website (over the time it was running) were dynamic. Articles, items, etc, would appear, disappear, and be archived and so on. SITS was created so that you were there as the mysteries were unraveled and the infinite amount of questions were asked.
Please note that this is a summary only and is a compilation of information from the Bioshock wikia, 2K forums and my own experiences.
In Phase One (The Map), details begin to emerge regarding the kidnapping of little girls across the globe. Newspaper clippings and photos begin to appear on the website indicating that someone is investigating these strange occurrences; all placed on a map of the world.
Reports of underwater red-lights begin to surface (pun intended); red lights that move quickly also begin to be seen within towns and city centres. Finally, our investigator, one Mark Meltzer is named in the form of a letter that has been written to him thanking him for his letters to the House of Representatives regarding the disappearances.
Mark anticipates the next town to be targeted and waits for 3 nights, before taking photos of Big Sister. There is concern that she has seen him.
Interestingly, before the end of the phase, some information relating to the disappearance of tycoon Andrew Ryan is shared, hinting that he secured the area around Rapture as a private property of sorts.
Phase Two (Mark Meltzer’s Room) ran from May to December of 09.’ The site now showed a workspace and an ever present low static noise indicated that the radio had been tuned to an odd frequency. The map from Phases One hangs on the wall and on the desk lie some x-rays. Mark has had a nasty accident of sorts. An answering machine records various phone messages and tidbits of information over the course of the Phase.
Various photos of Mark’s daughter Cindy appear, as does a newspaper clipping detailing her disappearance.
From time to time mysterious puzzle boxes are located within the room – sending online forums into overdrive as fans try to be the first to crack the codes. Fan letters, promising to help Mark begin to appear on the notice board – it now appears that all letters mailed to Mark’s PO box (noted on correspondence to him) are being read.
A month into the phase a mysterious record appears – it has been sent to Mark. Both sides carry the official anthem of Rapture, but on one side, the anthem is interrupted by an eerie child-like voice asking if ‘daddy will come and find me.’ Fans who have written in to the PO Box begin receiving the exact record in the mail. Is Big Sister now mocking Mark?
The investigations continue and Mark is sent a map listing coordinates that lead to ten beaches around the world. On the morning of August 8th 2009, dozens of bottles of Arcadia Merlot (circa 1958) appear on the beaches (yea really). Within each bottle were two posters advertising plasmids, and another invitation-like introduction to Rapture.
Throughout the investigation, Mark begins to deal with a variety of people (some more honest than others) and also makes a few discoveries. He begins closing in on Rapture.
Late in the phase a message left on the answering machine asks for any information about a book titled ‘The Frozen Triangle.’ This time, fans writing in to Mark’s PO Box were in for a real surprise. Telegrams from Rapture couriers Speedy Brothers were personally delivered (by a delivery man in authentic Speedy Brothers Uniform). Delivery men were also riding period-style bicycles. A day later, fans who had received telegrams received a package which included a letter from Mark and one of various splicer masks (all the masks sent appear in Bioshock 2). Mark continues his investigation and speaks with his maritime contacts.
Phase Three (The Boat) shows us the inner cabin of a boat. We can deduce that Mark has now set sail for Rapture on a mission to find his little girl. A number of radio transmissions are left and can be heard; one in late January which is an apparent SOS sent from Rapture itself. Mark soon stumbles upon a phantom lighthouse and indicates in a letter that he is going to try and find his way through the fog in a dinghy. The next day, the ships cabin is a bloody mess – a dead body can be seen via the reflection from a mirror, and the message ‘Rapture Awaits’ is etched onto the wall. Mark is no where to be found. Will he appear in Bioshock 2? Will he find and rescue Cindy? Once again, 2K has left us asking only more questions. But damn, are they good at it.
In the final few weeks leading up to Bioshock 2’s release, a number of Splicer Masquerade Balls & Splicers Unite events were held. Eager fans went along, dressed as Rapture citizens and were lucky enough to go home with lots of Rapture-related goodies - some of which you'll find in Part 2 'All Things Rapture'!
Not sure if you are being factitious there...but i'll bite.
Not yet - but I did order it from the Take Two online store. I love it as well!
If you really like it, you can get it (from the Cult of Rapture) as a desktop background as well (i've been using it for a few weeks).
I've also since discovered that in the hardback strategy guide, that one comes as an included print in some versions (there are 2 other prints you can get)...see below:
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
