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Saturday, October 10, 2009
The United Kingdom is about to launch the largest ARG in history!
The United Kingdom is about to launch the largest ARG in history! In this case, "ARG" doesn't' stand for "Alternative Reality Game," though. Here it means "Actual Reality Game." You see, Web users in the U.K will soon have to ability to monitor the nation's network of four million or so video cameras streaming video of public spaces to the internet. If you see anyone committing a crime on-cam, report him or her to the coppers and collect points (one point for seeing a suspected crime and three points for a confirmed crime.) Winning players will get their usernames on the internet in connection with the criminals they helped nab as well as cash prizes up to 1,000 Euros.
Apparently, the phrase "snitches get stitches" hasn't made it across the Atlantic.
The game will initially use CCTV cameras in shops and businesses in Stratford-upon-Avon but will be rolled out across Britain by December before going worldwide next year. As you'd expect, civil libertarians are quite upset at the idea of turning an entire nation into finks, but the police, as you'd expect, see no problem with the scheme at all.
As a fan of message-heavy, high-concept science fiction films, I am very happy to hear that the movie is finally starting. I can only assume an organized underground network of freedom fighters will attempt to disable all the cameras with laser beams. Also: A volcano will be involved somehow.
What do you think about this "game?" Would you play it if it was here in the States?
Labels: video games news
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