Tag: Omnium Finis Imminet

War of the Worlds Latin Revelations

revelations.jpgA few weeks back, we reported on some mysterious posters and graffiti that was showing up around the country, all depicting the latin phrase, “Omnium Finis Imminet.” Word was that these could be the beginnings of a marketing campaign for the upcoming Spielberg adaptation of War of the Worlds, and this even seemed to be confirmed in a New York Times Article. This news caused many in the ARG community to clench various body parts in collective anticipation of another Spielberg-related Alternate Reality Game.

Paramount discounted these reports, however, and it was finally disclosed that these ads were for an upcoming NBC-TV series, Revelations. In addition, the New York Times subsequently published the following retraction:

“An article on Saturday about unusual subway advertisements included an erroneous identification from transit officials for the production whose ad featured a flock of birds with the phrase “Omnium Finis Imminet,” Latin for “The End of All Things Is Near.” It is an NBC television series called “Revelations,” not Steven Spielberg’s film version of “War of the Worlds.”

Well, it just goes to show you that you can’t always believe everything those pesky NYC Transit Officials tell you after all, let alone the New York Times! Alternate Reality Game? Nope. Stealth campaign gone terribly wrong? Absolutely!

The End of the World, Rumors, and Grassroots Startups

th_SanJose1.jpgSeems there’s lots of stuff simmering right now in the ARG world. The problem is, nothing seems to be quite breaking the surface yet. While some point to major mainstream projects, there are numerous instances of grassroots efforts struggling to launch and get attention.

Perplex City seems to be in its final stages of development, as well as getting a good amount of press. No hint yet on when the official launch will be, but a recent email and video indicate that it’s got to be getting close. Meanwhile, players are still waiting and watching for the announced Still Life Extended Reality Game to show further signs of life.

On the rumor front, there are reports cropping up about strange sightings of graffiti, posters and television bumpers all with the same slogan in Latin: “Omnium Finis Imminet,” which loosely translates to “The end of all things is near.” Popular wisdom is that this is a viral effort leading into the upcoming Spielberg adaptation of War of the Worlds or some SciFi miniseries. The photos of the graffiti do seem to be photoshopped, and are better in quality and composition than your average amateur would take, so there does seem to be something going on here.

Meanwhile, there are quite a few grassroots projects attempting to gain momentum. These include Project Ashcroft, Synagoga, Entrapment, and Albrecht Wasser. As with any indie game, play at your own risk, as your mileage may vary.