The Initiative on Alternate Reality Gaming is led by people throughout the crazy nascent genre. You’ll find these folks in development meetings, nose deep in articles, pulling out their hair over the latest puzzle, and/or trying to beat their editor’s screams about a deadline to meet. In short, if you have any interest in promoting and discussing Alternate Reality Games, it could be you.
IonARG has one mission – to promote the genre through discussion and action. To help do this, it’s split up into a group of smaller initiatives. After all, with something as painfully big-picture as “promote” and “discuss” – you gotta break it up into smaller chunks if you want to get anything done and we do.
We’re tired of inaction. We’re tired of people sitting around and saying “if only” or “would be nice”. Yes, it would be nice! So let’s get going!
History
The Initiative on Alternate Reality Gaming was formed in December 2006 by a combined group of developers, players, and community leaders wanting to promote the genre and concerned with the growing division between the player and development communities. Believing that one of the great things about the genre was the spirit of collaboration, they realized that by bringing the groups together with a few objectives and some specific initiatives both of their concerns could be met. After some initial discussion and debate on a few early initiatives, IonARG went public at ARGfest 2007. The rest, they say, is history.
Goals
- Promoting the genre of Alternate Reality Gaming and its role and possibilities in the larger entertainment, media, and advertising pictures
- Archiving Alternate Reality Game articles and artifacts - it’s only been 5 years and much of our history is already lost
- Supporting open discussion between game designers, academics, players, and even the media
Initiatives
It should come as no surprise that the Initiative on Alternate Reality Gaming is filled with initiatives. These are the specific projects that we undertake in order to achieve our overreaching Goals. Please, your help is not only wanted, but needed!
For more information about our initiatives, check out the our initiative page or, if you want to get involved, head over to the wiki to see how you can best help us to achieve our goals!
Membership
Our membership is open and includes anyone with an interest in Alternate Reality Gaming - especially those who are interested in helping to promote and advance the nascent genre. Developers (grassroots and professional), players, academics, and media are all welcome.
In addition, volunteers are always welcome. If you’re interested in helping out with any of the initiatives, contact the person spearheading it or post to the mailing list expressing your interest. If you have an idea of an initiative that doesn’t already exist, feel free to add it to the list and call for volunteers to help you out.
