ARGTalk Shows Its True Stripes?

While some of us like to think we are ‘in the know’ when it comes to Alternate Reality Gaming, there is always opportunity to pull the wool over the collective eyes of the community every so often. Tonight, there is evidence (although wildly speculative) that ARGTalk, an ARG meta discussion site that popped up this year out of the blue, might actually be a front for a new ARG. Confused? Me too.

Here’s what we can pull together so far: ARGTalk, a blog-style ARG resource, has been overhyping a radio show that was scheduled for earlier tonight. In the past week, people have noticed comments popping up from disgruntled sources, as well as a tirade from one if its own writers. These comments have mysteriously disappeared shortly after being displayed. And in the radio show, which sounds more like a well-rehearsed script read by professional voice actors than an impromptu webcast, one of the ARGTalk writers was *gasp* kidnapped before the show went off the air.

Do these recent events and unfolding details suggest that this is really a carefully constructed game on the verge of bigger and better things? We can’t make a clear determination as of yet. If this is indeed a launch, then it’s had many of us fooled for months. If not, then I guess it’s ‘fool me twice, shame on me’.