Alternate reality games (ARG) are games that blur the distinction between the digital world and actually reality. This leaves me with an ethical question of what happens when negative consequences happen in the real world because of what has happened in an ARG? Who is responsible for the consequences, if any, of the ARG? Since a major element of these games is creation through group consiousness, this makes it extremely easy for something to happen and to have a dispursal of responsibility.

One of the other factors I find disheartening is that these games are designed in such a way that they can only be experienced in their fullest capacity during the run of the campaign. After the campaign is over, there are those who wish they could have participated, but can not simply because there are elements of the ARG that are no longer available or are not being maned.

The first ARG created for massive public participation was a murder mystery problem solving game that was released in 2001. It was called "The Beast". It was the first time a game of this type attracted significant mainstream media and public interest. Besides the fact that the name reminds me of the book of Revelation found in the Bible, the fact that there is a blurring between fiction and reality causes me to pause.

ARG's have several elements that designate them:

• a compelling storyline and collaborative game play
• gamers interact and collaborate to construct an eventual ending to the story
• sustains player interest by generating new content based on the constantly updated state of the game

New ARG's are experimenting with real-world and political topics, but they are still mainly a way of indirectly delivering a message. Whether that message is buy this or that product or to raise awareness about some situation, these ARG's effect us in ways that we may not realize. They may seem like play and it is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.