To quote Jesse Ventura:

"I'm impressed. And I don't impress easy."

natureboy46

I've been wondering when we'd hear the end of this tale. I gotta say, this was WAY cooler than I expected, especially when you factor in all the cool schwag you got. Let's just hope they put as much care and attention to detail toward the game as the did this "activity." Were there any other journos there or just you?

billygoat117

@diablodevil2:

Oh, duh, because of the headline. Damn you subconcious!!

diablodevil2

Hehe; you better give good impressions of the game, then. They know where you live...

Guizzy

Now I feel silly thinking it was somehow for Professor Layton >.>;

diablodevil2

That was really cool. I like how the had the unsuspecting pics of you walking around earlier in the day.

MjrShake

Now that's a classy way to hype a game, none of this alliwantforxmasisapsp bullshit. ;)

Genocyde

thats cool as shit, hope it was fun

Bonzo

That was downright brilliant! Thanks DeMarco and High Moon Studios for providing us with such an interesting marketing ploy. Looking forward to hearing about the Bourne game of course! Yay, you didn't get murdered!

I really like that they made up that dossier too, so awesome.

GothPunk

I have to say, I'm impressed with the marketing schtick on this.

Definitely a good way to spend a day!

RPGr

Aw, I had a feeling it was for Bourne (after reading about the stunt fight they pulled)...was wishing it somehow had to do with Goldeneye 64...I need to stop living in a dreamworld. :(

Kanik

Awesome.

Majorasblaze

That is cool. If they put that much into showing the game to one game blogger (albeit a pretty cool/well known one) they must be pretty serious. I hope!

captronj

This has to be the sweetest advertising ever.

blackadvent

Excellent setup by High Moon. However, if they had been following your blog, they should have realized they forgot one important thing: the driver never made you solve a puzzle.

@NegativeGhostrider: I applied there too I believe. But since I just got out of college in fall, I can't say I blame them for not accepting.

Tiber

That's pretty awesome. You should have asked for the car and driver though.

goldarsun

Fucking. Sweet.

Man you game journalists get to have all the fun. :(

gils0n

I'm jealous and glad you weren't attacked by crazy peoples. I would have missed you. Although, that is a lot of work just to showcase a new game..

bluesquareapple

Sweet... I was just watching the Bourne Ultimatum yesterday and was wondering why no one had made a game of of the trilogy yet.

Mohrdikai

Damn, I was still hoping for Majestic 2.0....
We need more stable ARG type games these days.

Jypsy

That is pretty classy how they did the dossier on you, including the pictures of you from that morning.

MistahJGM

Sounds ridiculous, but extremely awesome.

Also, glad to know you're still alive.

Xeneizes

That is fucking awesome. I wish stuff like that would happen to me.

JustJake

Now, if it were me, the car would have picked me up in a tux. And I would have acted as if this was a normal tuesday/like a tool (your pick). Still, clever marketing, just right for the game.

MajorMcMuffin

That's awesome.

Now you need to go rent "The Game" and watch it.

ninjafetus

What a great stunt. After reading of your escapade, my interest in The Bourne Conspiracy went from nil to now wanting to give it a try.
I'm glad you survived your ordeal :)

evening-aura

Bravo Full Moon. I'm impressed.

fourzerotwo

That was very interesting Secret Agent Flynn! Thanks for letting us in on your adventures. Maybe next time you will get to stab someone with a pen. ;)

liquid_kore

That kicks ass Flynn! I've been reading lots of good things about this game lately. Looking forward to the 28th to hear more about it.

dead_red_eyes

Cool setup. Sounds like you had fun.

However, you might want to sweep your apartment for bugs now, ala "The Conversation."

One can never be too careful, you know.

kelptocratic

Cool read!

Makes me wonder when someone will do this and make it into a horror movie where they lure blogsters with mystery and cool swag and then...we never hear from them again!!!

SigmundTheSeaMonster

So...anything interesting on the flash drive?

tshack

Pretty sure I was the first to call it as a Bourne game. I deserve a no-prize.

Fallible

What a let down. No offense to fans of the franchise, but they are pretty generic spy/action films to me, and a game based on them is definitely not on my radar. At least Flynn had fun, though.

vanderblade

I have to admit that I was morbidly hyped to see in the front pages an article about the dissapearance of a kotaku blogger after a string of kryptic blogs. Not because I harbor any ill will, but because it would have been "hella-cool".

After reading that I am SOOOO envious of you. I love the Bourne movies and that whole adventure you went through would have been a blast. I would have eaten it all up.

God I'm jealous.

Josimba

Very, very cool. Kudos to the guys who had the idea for this.

Poison

That's awesome.
On a side note... High Moon Studios is right down the street from my work. It's a pretty awesome studio and I've been trying to get a job there forever.

NegativeGhostrider

pretty sweet, one of the better marketing ploys I've heard of.

Hoboman725

This is why I wouldn't want to be a games journo, I'd feel really bad if I reviewed the game and called it crap after all the freebies and secret missions. That's why they do it of course, but even so I'd still feel guilty! :)

photoboy

@Civin: i went to a friend's wedding in Vegas in February. there was a Jack in the Box across the street from their chapel. we asked the limo driver if he could go through (even though we had a buffet waiting when we got back to the hotel), but he said it couldn't make the turn. :/

geekgrrl

@keyrat: I don't normally make these kind of comments, but it was a lol moment; and your avatar is full of victories.

Fyren

Thats F'n kewl! I was betting it was GTA IV

Good to hear your not dead.

yashichi8bit

And absolutely amazing idea by High Moon. Flynn, you lucky bastard, you might have the coolest job on earth. I want to get to be a super spy who's part time job is that of a mild mannered video game journalist.

JustShotMarvin

Good job, High Moon.You got me interested in what cool ideas you put in the game. Unless this was just cool marketing wrapped around an okay game.

jackal888

@GMC: of course he is. you think that was the real Flynn reporting? fool!

geekgrrl

You should have asked the driver to take you through [insert favorite drive thru] on the way there or back ;)

Civin

ARGs kick ass, totally, but sometimes you really have to open yourself up to doing really stupid things (like getting into a stranger's car because of a mysterous phone call) for the sake of forwarding the game. Did you check back at the Coit Tower to make sure it wasn't something else? Man, I applaud your guts. I wouldn't have gone anywhere alone.

Pity the game'll probably stink.

Marion517

Thats what I call awesome PR. Still... im sure the game will do well, but it's not what im looking for in videogames anymore.

Shiryu

Now this is how you market a game. Hopefully it will surpass the stereotype of all movie games suck. Odd enough movie games were fine for NES... but maybe because we had only so much that could be done in terms of gameplay.

Elderwulf

Epic on all scales.

However, I am a bit disappointed that a secret-GTA-setup-under a pier didn't come to fruition.

Fyren

Very impressive.Not you taking out the devs in hand to hand combat impressive,but still very cool.Actually,this is one of the best ideas I've heard.

enewtabie

That is indeed pretty sweet. I smell another contest? You could put together a pretty damn cool (and convoluted!) contest out of this one.

MisterSleep

That's just badass

Eschguy

Sounds cool that they'd go through so much effort. I would've used the phone to make calls to sex operators and never would've completed the mission.

keyrat

the story is no longer the preview or the review of the game but it has become the event of the revealing of the said game...MGS4 now Bourne, a Denis Dyack jumping out of a cake for the Too Human ad launch?

latinogamer

That sounds very awesome, and an exciting way to pass the time.

The swag that came out of it sounds even more awesome, pretty cool touches they put on that to make the whole thing seem even more grand.

JarenFace

That's awesome. I imagine they couldn't go much further in the whole theme without being too creepy-- a good balance. Look forward to your write-up on the game.

munchausen

Lets just say *HYPOTHETICALLY* I may have been one of those photographers....and there will be some pictures of Flynn on ebay...>.>

MUWHAHAHAHA JUST ACCORDING TO PLAN.

StopTheOncoming

How do we know its you? How do we know they didn't take over? Show us proof.

Desertwolf

haha that's freaking awesome

Mohican

Now, see, I was expecting a ransom note today.

"Bring me the head of the head of Take-two, Ben Feder, and I shall return Flynn - Tack Jhompson"

Ghede

While I don't really have any interest in the game itself. That was one helluva cool way to set it up. A lot of nice little touches in there, kudos to the guys behind it.

Lowbar

Bad. Ass.

cdr

That is pretty sweet. Kudos for them for putting that all together.

majiesto

During the whole ordeal today -- prior to seeing the High Moon Studios devs -- did the thought ever cross your mind "Maybe I should be concered. What have I gotten myself into?".

All in all, that was a pretty impressive marketing campaign. It is events such as this that really show how unique the video game industry is. Have you heard of any other game websites participating?

AndrewMP

just checking - so you're not face down in the river then?
My earlier fears have passed without coming to pass. Good stuff.
Like the photos - freaky touch

GMC

That was... was... AWESOME...

@Flynn
what if the case had weapon in it? Were you freaking out? did you now what was happening?

LittlestLamshi

Absolutely fantastic cheers for this and I'm looking forward to the Bourne game as I loved the films.

Communist_Gamer

I would have been freaked out, nice bravery there.

Superstar90 UNLEASHED

Well, at least it wasn't that CSI game... Can I have the mini backpack? :)

Pezdispenser

Talk about going above and beyond. Nicely done!

Wolfers

Hahah all that just for Bourne Conspiracy gotta give Flynn De Marco guts for going something likes *Raises Hand Cool Points*!!!

Jehuty2

That was a sweet stunt, nicely executed (pardon the pun).
I was half expecting it to be for GTA4 though.

I wish stuff like that happened to me :)

Dajmin

I knew it! I think, at least, I mentioned the Bourne game being this.

Anyway the photos of you in the case thing is pretty cool :D Kinda creepy, but cool.

Candlejack

You know, that whole experience sounds pretty cool. Who hasn't fantasized about being in on something really important/clandestine? Good on the publisher and ad agency for whipping this up.

FightingChance

That's pretty damn cool. ARG-style advertising.

onidavin

That's pretty clever on their part! I still don't know if I would have gotten into the car though... the internet has too many crazies. ;)

Sinnix

I guess no day is average for The Amazing Professor DeMarco!

TheDollHouse

@superbagman: Sure it is. He blogs about it, and it generates a lot of buzz. Check out all of the comments for proof it worked.

Gouki4u

@Flynn: That sounds like it would have been really fun. I'd like to see some close-up shots of that bracelet, if you can get 'em on here. How is the USB drive concealed?

PlayerX

I am relieved that you did not die. On another note what would you have done if the locks were sawed off?

Jacktherip

Well, the PR people were successful, I'm now more interested in checking the game out. Damn it ... I hate it when they get it right -- I was in PR for a few years and felt lucky to escape. This, however, was an excellent job. I'm glad you had a good time!

jayntampa

The embargo lifts right around the time of GTA4's release?

That seems like a terrible idea. They're just asking for their game to be forgotten about.

Kegwen

That's pretty awesome. Like others have asked, was there anything at all on the flash drive?

Pietepiet

An elaborate fantasy conceived my Flynn's subconscious to help block out what really happened, obviously.

Moonshadow101

Kickass .. to the max.
So, when does the next contest go up?

osiris83

@tshack: That's what I was thinking. You need to check that flash drive ASAP Flynn.

Digitalguardian VII: Revival! A Commenter's Comeback!

I know I'm gonna be going against the wave's of praise here, but honestly, if this studio had put me in Flynn's position with all the shady phones and car pick ups, I think I'd be kinda pissed. Just cut the shit and work on the game.

And guys, it's not really advertising if it's directed at one blogger...

superbagman

Heh, imagine this - in the case was a loaded gun with one bullet and a note:

"We have kidnapped your family. Get in the car, shoot the driver, and drive to this address. You are being watched."

*and that's how I spent my summer vacation*

the-hypnotoad

Weird I didn't know you live in the city.

Anyway that's an impressively elaborate marketing scheme, that sounds really cool.

Eliwood

Whoa, extremely cool! Big bonus points to the marketing/PR firm that brought all that together - the pictures of you getting into the car and picking up the briefcase are a nice touch.

Do you know if all this was just for you or are they running a bunch of folks through this? Seems a waste to get the space, the car rental, photographer, etc just for one guy (as special as you are Flynn ;)

the-hypnotoad

I would have been really annoyed at them for needlessly wasting so much of my damn time driving me all around the city and forcing me to rearrange my day to try and shill a product for them...

Argyle

Nicely done. I expected GTA as well, but it fits with the Bourne game.

LDJosh

Flynn I hope you were prepared in case this was more of a crazy person that wanted to wear your skin as a suit.

Hand_O_Death

This is pretty elaborate. So many things could have messed this up for High Moon. It seems like alot of pieces had to fall into place just right for this to actually work.

For instance, they were counting on Flynn actually going along with this instead of the more reasonable response: joining the witness protection program. Let's face facts here people: he's a famous blogger. This could have been dangerous.

Anyway, awesome.

dowingba

My money was on GTA, but after that article was still exciting.

TheeAhaMoment

Sounds like they put some time and thought into it. The spy pics of you are a nice touch. Very cool stuff.

mydogisdexter

NOW THAT is how you market a game.

Bravo.

Beyene

I kind of got a 'mobster' vibe, which lead me to believe Grand Theft Auto IV (because it's so close to release).

Books

This has to be one of the better stunts for publicity. I wanna be a secret agent too!

Miss Liz

I'm just glad your mystery didn't end with you saying "Ahh! They took my freaking kidney!"

KnightRider

The cynic in me wants to dislike this, but that's some fine creativity from the PR people.

ErskinPig

unreal!

wef

You know, all in all, not a bad bit of marketing. It certainly has put the game on my radard where before I was totally uninterested.

Liked this:

"Also included was what I thought to be the most clever addition, a dossier on me that included my name, known associates and habits."

I hope they mentioned that your spell checker is completely broken. Perhaps intentionally.

mariospants

Lul, silly, but effective.

Zeouterlimits

Thats pretty groovy. I mean, its like being in your own spy novel or something. And it had free swag. Thats always a bonus.

Salen

I was waiting for the part where they shot you in the head with a 9mm, personally. JUST JOKING!

Erwos

Well they've got some clever PR people.
Original, funny how almost everyone thought it was related to GTA back when you got the cell and the SMS, taking those pictures of you were kinda the cherry on top.
With all this effort just in the PR area I can only hope they are making an even bigger ine making the game, I really like the Bourne movies, having a nice game about them would be kick ass.

chemical_eng_mx

very cool idea

Mlata

next ARG advertisement - square gives you a haircut you never thought possible, then gives you a big sword (but charges you an extra 20 bucks for the hilt) >.>

demonknightinuyasha

I can honestly say i am a little disappointed it didn't end up with "Meester De Marco, you are een de Navy now"

RandolphCarter

Thats so cool..

the whole thing is pretty clever.

silverfox840

So a video game company has nothing better to do but try to act like a government agency?
You should have stolen the limo using the briefcase as a weapon.

Angryrider

Cool promo, too bad everything i've seen for this game makes me give a giant mehhhh

weasl

Doesn't the stuff they gave you count as bribe?

tibbie

Do I smell a contest with said free goodies coming up...?

demonspawn2578

Man that sounds so fun. Super jealous.

argh

Damn. That IS cool. It makes me want your job actually.

I'm pretty interested in the Bourne game for the hand to hand combat they've shown. Hopefully it plays as cool as it looks.

Guitaratomik

That's pretty fucking cool if you asked me. Lot of detail and trouble went in to it. Kudos to High Moon. Now, I wish the game would not suck but it'll probably be average.

phalanges

All fun and games until you get in the wrong black car and end up sleeping with the fishes :p

Kaedex

fricken awesome, Marco. possibly the best bit of marketing i've heard of in quite some time.

frank0127

Thanks for posting this, Agent De Marco!

It's not often I get to hear how far marketing people go to please the media. Seriously, sometimes they get some wicked budgets, those bastards! Anyway, that's an impressive show for you. Actually makes me curious about the game now...

boopadoo

I hate to say it, but Penny Arcade was right...
There's only one way for an ARG to end.
"Drink More Ovaltine" every damn time.

Sudden Device

"Odd enough movie games were fine for NES... but maybe because we had only so much that could be done in terms of gameplay."

@Elderwulf: Friday the 13th and Jaws very respectfully disagree.

FanDam

That has to be the best damn PR stunt I have ever read. Honestly I can't wait for this Bourne game. Holy shit you're so damn lucky Flynn (also glad you weren't killed or anything!)

I'm even jealous of that Sony MP3 player. Sony's newest players are the best sounding available!

LittleBigPlaneteer

That seemed pretty fun, really clever all the way through, especially the photographs. Due to this, the game has actually entered my radar, whereas before I just dismissed it as an ordinary adventure game with a license. Guess the marketing worked.

PurpleMonkey

I'd be unmoved, but that touch with the photos really puts it over the top.

Slatz_Grobnik

Soooo... How did they get a picture of you picking up the case into the case o_O

bobofgold

That was just amazing!
All the things you got, information on that cool game.
It is the best idea I have ever seen from a developer that has to show someone information about a game!
I hope things like this one happen more often.

HELLSRIDER

Better check under the lining of that case for bugs or a kilo of white stuff.

Pretty sweet little event, colour me envious.

Skunky

[maps.google.com]

:)

pickleprince

It shall only happen once, treasure it. Brian must be kicking himself now, the pirate king would have been a cool agent.

joncoffee

Pretty cool marketing all told. But Flynn...here's the real question on my mind... Does your PS3 get enough clearance in that media unit?! We may never know

Kinketsu

Thats... fucking... AWESOME!!!!
I was actually getting excited reading this!
Hmm I wonder if this is what reading books is like, I should try sometime.

Heartless1

This is one of the awesomest things I've read on the intarwebs.

GG Flynn.

Evil Tortie's Mom

I think it was a pretty clever promotional gimmick and well worth the free publicity they are getting on this site, with likely more to come. I have to draw the line, though, at the "swag." It's unethical for a journalist to accept anything of value - most draw the line at a cup of coffee - from someone, or a company, he is supposed to be covering impartially. Sorry, you should have given it back and explained that you can't be bought ... at least not that cheaply.

Nevadan

So what was on the USB drive? I assume it must have some files on it or something.

Grue

that's sick lol i wish iwas you now lol i like an mp3

OtakuHat

Awesome. That was a neat and clever way of marketing and nobody got hurt. I hope you enjoyed your adventure. That must of been one hell of a Tuesday.

MURDERFACE

Seriously, a pink bag? Wtf kind of Bourne game is this? If they were going for a bag that looked sort of like the one Bourne takes out of the Swiss bank, they failed in an epic way.

Sabash

Man... That's really clever...

posjed

@Sabash: I think that's what they were going for, actually.

josh924

Now that's how PROPER games PR should be done

squirrelz

"At 3:30 a black car will arrive to your house to pick you up. The mission should take no longer than three hours."

First thought: "three hours is a long time for a BJ!"

kftgr

thats really cool... kinda reminds me of the advertisements for hitman 2, which I received in the post years ago, in which I received a letter inviting me to a hotel in Russia, information on my "next target" and how I'd be well rewarded for my digression! I lol'ed.

exion

Thats... really... creepy..

But it makes me want to buy the game, even though it didn't happen to me.

aelfin

@Sabash:

Are you freaking blind? The bag is red not pink. It's the lighting that is making it look "pinker". You'd think your common sense would kick in and realize this. You think they'd go this far and give a bag that wasn't close to the real thing?

LittleBigPlaneteer

Holy shit. That's a lot for promoting a game, still it did its job.

artofwar420

The High Moon Studios marketing team sounds incredibly talented. Pretty damn creative. Almost all of their ads and marketing for Bourne is unique and pretty awesome. During the Aussie press event, they staged a fake, Bourne style fight and to reveal more of the game, they had this. Must've been pretty expensive though. Actually, it sounds like you would've been one of the only people to participate in this since well, not too many game writers live in SF, I'd assume. Pretty awesome though. And the game looks pretty awesome as well. From what I've seen. Also, it's not based on the movies, but taking the movie approach to adapting the book. Kind of making their own little version that's similar but quite different (like the first movie to the first book). It sounds like a pretty awesome game though.

Samos42

Badass, I wish that something cool like this would happen to me. Seriously. I think I've said that on all three parts. Or thought it at least.

Niraj

Wow--I hope they put as much effort and creativity into the game. Might make it one of the few movie license games worth buying.

jcgrech

"Also included was what I thought to be the most clever addition, a dossier on me that included my name, known associates and habits."

That's really, really creepy.

TheLandmark

Now THAT is marketing. If that's the kind of care and attention to detail they put in their game, then you bet I'm buying it.

eskilla

You can slightly see the man that took a picture of you next to the firehouse.

Crawp

Just look at the graphics on that car!!!! It looks soooooo real!

KingKevin

I stopped dry when you said "Copy Cat" movie.

Flynn my man, you sure have some brass balls.

Anyway this was an amazing feat and your coverage had me thrilled and worried for you the whole time.

Thanks for sharing the whole experience, and being that you somehow are happy with what you saw so far with the game, I think I will have to change my stance on it which wasn't so good until now.

Take care and sleep well.

Kirth Gersen

I am simultaneously intrigued and disappointed. It sounds cool, but it sounds so cool it's almost seems like they are trying to buy a good review score rather than build hype. Perhaps I'm just being cynical. Or maybe jealous... yeah, that's probably it.

Fizgot

I took my case, got out of the are and was greeted by a fellow...

Evil Jim

Oh man... I guess you had to throw in the obvious "I liked what I saw" because of all the things you went through. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

Awkward!

Herman Gatevold

Awesome. I wish I was you...

chaman_shimano

called it...was 1st to say Bourne way back in the 1st post...I should get a prize...haha!

Blackti3

Heh, thats pretty awesome tbh.

I'm even a little less apathetic about the game than I was five minutes ago!

ZhouYu

That went pretty well, considering you could have been murdered.

StartRunning

wow.... thats hella badass

thisbeatisbadass

That's some pretty nice payola.

packratshow

You didn't have any idea but you had some ideas? EDITOR?!?

grangerfx

The best touch was the photos.

Actaeus

That is very clever. I was so excited about it all.

I'm glad you are okay and not, well, dead.

ArgentAngel

what's up neighbor?

xander