Gemini Division, NBC, and Alternate Reality Gaming and Viral Marketing gone wrong.

Wednesday, August 27th saw the release of the alternate reality game and immersive interaction content for Gemini Division, the new online-only series distributed by NBC Universal Digital Studios. Entertainment bloggers/reporters, fans, and entire ARG communities have been eagerly awaiting this release as this series is the first web only property produced by a Hollywood studio and distributed by a major network. With a production budget of just over $2 million dollars Gemini has received favorable reviews and is a smart, well filmed vehicle featuring an all star cast headed by Rosario Dawson.

In the media preview, series creator and Executive Producer Brent Friedman discussed the ARG portion of Gemini. NBC’s alternate reality immersive experience would be led by the creator of the Heroes ARG. Viewers who participated would join Rosario's character, NYPD Detective Anna Diaz, in becoming Gemini Division agents; sometimes researching for Anna, and sometimes working alongside her on missions. This was exciting news. In another first of its kind, this alternate reality type of game would provide what sounded like the first run of active immersive content in combination with a live, Hollywood created web/mobile series

In the Prime Time for Change post on July 26th we discussed the "corporate viewpoint" to illustrate the challenges facing both traditional broadcasters and program viewers as entertainment media corporations attempt to leverage the internet to increase their market share The concerns about corporate cultural impact were realized this week. With the premiere of Gemini Division on NBC.com viewers are able to sign up to participate in additional content, including text messages. This was to drive the alternate reality game that was to accompany the series.

In the Prime Time For Change articles, Looking Beyond the Box and Through Someone Else’s Eyes, both written in July, two primary points of concern were stated:

1) There is a disconnect between the ‘corporate think’ of primetime networks and the viewers who watch their content.

2) Major corporations don’t understand how to look beyond the immediate need of today and as such limit their ability to provide a viable product.

As entertainment media corporations attempt to leverage the internet to increase their market share, we believe that it is vitally important for major networks to:

1) Engage in active listening.

2) Think beyond today and be committed toward the rollout of a robust product.

Here you can see our concerns as well as our hopes for the progression of new media.

This week we waited in hope that our concerns would be laid to rest and looked forward to the imminent release of the interactive experience. With the premiere of Gemini Division on NBC.com, viewers are able to sign up to participate in additional content, including text messages. This was to drive the alternate reality game that was to accompany the series.

On Wednesday participants received a text message from Gemini character Pete Vacarella, Anna Diaz's partner, titled "Gemini What?". The message follows:

"What up? Listen, I need you to check out my MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/petevacarella. Dug up some dirt on Anna's new boyfriend, and I don't think you're gonna like it. She's in Paris with the guy right now, and when our girl gets back, I think we better knock some sense into our girl.

Later, Pete "

This was followed by the legally required unsubscribe disclaimer that is also found on the Heroes ARG emails ...a bit of normal, but vital in our overly litigious society. Based on our fan research, first impressions of the Pete Vacarella profile range from "adequate" to "good". Not over done, the profile contains character information, pictures, and blog posts structured to replicate a real world MySpace page. Some of the photos and posts establish the character background while others tie directly to Gemini Division meeting the basics of the ARG 'this is not a game' [TINAG] tenant.

Readers progressing through the blog posts, oldest to newest, reported that NBC had done an adequate job of building this alternate reality character's persona. The blog on the Character Nick Korda included passport photos and travel itineraries. When readers switched between the blog and photo albums additional information about Korda was provided, as well as a tie from a newspaper article that doesn't appear to have a direct connection to the episodes that aired thus far.

However, the last most recent blog post and the separate awkward release of two branded “viral” videos saw the burgeoning realization of our previously stated concerns. Consequently, these events are causing a considerable amount of controversy among ARG fans.

Pete’s branded/subtitle video blog entry

Fan feedback about this game component ranges from moderate disappointment to irrational fury over the series logo, "episode title", and summary. Part of the joy in alternate reality gaming, especially when it is combined as immersive content, is the TINAG, or This Is Not A Game aspect. ARG fans feel that branding invalidates the game as there is no way that the ARG player can suspend disbelief which is necessary to build an attachment to the alternate universe where character Pete Vacarella lives.

Most reference sources agree that Alternate Reality Games are interactive narratives using the real world as a platform. They nvolve multiple media and game elements with clues embedded in everyday life, the most important concepts behind the ARG are the 'archaeological storytelling' and the 'Non-hoax' or 'This is not a game [TINAG]' atmospheres. Game designers provide only portions of the story, distributed across multiple platforms, allowing players to assemble and supply the connective points and determination of meaning. By the game's lack of acknowledgement that it is a game players experience the foibles of a real-world experience; websites may either be real or game related, phone numbers or email address shown on game websites work, and the game is played real-time. Players are forced to advance through the game using their own analysis, deductive reasoning, and speculative skills.

Opinions vary greatly on the driver for "the game", though most agree that ARGs have become a tool for additional marketing of an entertainment property. An excellent example of this is the recent Dark Knight ARG where players worked through numerous websites leading up to a special six minute opening preview of the movie provided as "live coverage" on the Gotham News Network website. GNN provides a cross of real world news and DK characters in 'live' interviews driving the storyline. While players understood that they were participating in a game, the real world components made the game, and the movie, much more personal and believable. Dark Knight took the additional steps to stage live election campaign rallies in major cities and a live scavenger hunt that ended with the participants receiving one-of-a-kind swag.

While we agree that a comparison of the Dark Knight ARG and Gemini Division's is apples to oranges, the same basic gaming 'rules' apply. This can be best illustrated by a comparison of two ARGs that are similar in scope and managed by the same administration: Heroes and Gemini Division.

The Heroes experience started with the same fan sign-up at NBC. Fans who chose to participate received text messages and cell phone calls from show Characters. The kickoff ARG on MySpace also found fans logging in to view a character profile, Samantha48616e61, which directed them to her ARG blog, which provides additional links to other ARG websites as well as multiple puzzles and videos.

Here the delta between Heroes and Gemini becomes evident: While the Samantha blog has multiple videos the TINAG concept is maintained. No branding on the Heroes vids, nor is there a direct branded link back to a broadcast site. Further exacerbating this divergence are the two additional 'viral' videos also released on Gemini Division on Wednesday. Beyond the issues of the videos being labeled viral they were also preceeded by the standard generic advertisement that leads the regular series videos.

Fans were again baffled and upset that these self-titled 'viral' videos were posted on the main production website instead of being buried on the web, "to find as one would expect in an ARG". Feedback we received in our research for this article ranges from the simple, "NBC just don't get it..."[Powerdog], to the succinct, "Today we learned about how the term 'viral' can fail miserably and create apathy and distrust in viewers"[DaJackal]. What driving factors cause the Heroes game to be successful and the Gemini game to have such a poor launch?

As a long time Gary Larson fans, the Far Side cartoon of army generals hunched over a table with the caption "But gentleman, what if we had a war and everybody came!" sprang to mind as soon as we reviewed this week's NBC Universal Digital Studios release of the Gemini Division immersive content alternate reality game. The following is our updated version of that cartoon:

Touching back on our post of July 26th and contrasting that corporate culture against the release of this new ARG it is evident that a disconnect exists somewhere in the system. We expected to see an experience similar to Heroes and were both concerned and surprised when it was released with the issues that we've reported in this article. With the buzz importance placed on this series, the first of it's kind, allowing such an obviously controversial ARG launch is not in the best business interest of NBC. That it may be intentionally designed to create this controversy could harm more than help this fledgling form of entertainment as fan apathy for the game may be taken as apathy for the program content.

We encourage everyone, even the apathetic, to continue the Gemini experience. It may be that a disaffected employee wanted to harm the show, or possibly mutant deaf ninja hacker penguins broke the ARG ...whatever disappointment you experienced this week give it a little longer; remember, this series is the first of it's kind and there are bound to be oppses.