Portal 2 just came out. Needless to say, I am enthralled. The combination of fast paced, knee jerk problem solving and ludicrous black humor of the first made that game a meme atom bomb. I, personally, could not get enough of it.
I am not alone, the internet is littered with references to the deceptive cake and heartfelt companion boxes. I’ve known a few people who’ve gone out of their way to purchase and even make their very own Companion Cube plush dolls. And who could forget that song? The joyous yet sorrowful tune of a maniacal robot, who up until that very moment had been plotting your death and had been damn cheery about it. Oh, GLaDOS, how we love you!
Since the game’s inception those blue and orange wormholes have become a large part of internet and gamer culture. Parody videos and homage comics are all over the place. The cake may be a lie, but our collective love for Portal is not.
The buzz surrounding the release of Portal 2 was already palpable. It would be more accurate to say a frenzy surrounded the release of Portal 2. On April 1, Valve, the developers of Portal 2, released what was called "The Potato Sack" of games. People who bought this small 13 indie game collection began to notice strange symbols and phrases within them, symbols that connected to other games and other online sites. A series of codes were discovered within "The Potato Sack" collection. Prior to the release of Portal 2, Valve had created and Alternate reality game (ARG.)
If you don't know what an ARG is, it is a fascinating little concept. In a sense, it is the most interactive of transmedia forms. Not only can the game encompass your computer, or your television, but some have clues and elements you must find in the real world. In a way, the game plays you.
A little too Big Brother for you? Don't worry. ARGs are mostly used as promotional material, a form of really involved marketing campaign. Only the most dedicated of fans really get to the middle of these things. A mysterious and inclusive marketing campaign that costs the players and promises privileged information to only the most dedicated of fans, why does that sound so damned familiar?
Yeah. It was kinda like that. A whole lot of hub-bub and very little to be gained but more Portal 2 promotional material.
They didn't realize it at the time, but those poor fools who spent all that time, money, and energy on Valve's ARG were taught a very important lesson in affective economics.
If you haven't read Henry Jenkins' Convergence Culture,
you really, really should. That man literally wrote the book on the current state of interactive media. What he labels as "affective economics" is basically the selling of products that hinges on an emotional appeal. It was the overwhelming adoration given to the first game in the franchise that motivated this fervor of clue hunting. Portal had become a "lovemark," a brand drew upon the emotional capital of the consumer. Valve was no longer selling simply a product, but an old friend, a lost love, a warm feeling in your chest... You get the picture.
Should we be embittered towards them? I don't think so. People, especially scrutinizing gamers, don't just throw their hearts at any old game that walks by. They do what they do, they make damn good games that stick with us for a reason. They should, however, be more careful with the emotional capital of their fan base.
In the end, though, who the hell isn't excited to play Portal Co-op?!?!?
