potato sack alternate reality game created developers thirteen independent video games promote release valve title portal april valve president envisioned game cross game design event december allowed developers free design game intellectual property game requiring players find solve number puzzles hidden updates thirteen games ultimately led opportunity players release portal hours earlier planned release playing games computer antagonist portal theme potatoes based plot elements portal specifically game personality module run potato battery large numbers people participated solving puzzles reaction players journalists mixed saw strong support commitment valve independent game development thought ultimate conclusion limited benefit justify buying games begin history potato sack bundle began announcement release potato sack bundle steam april offered included games normal price games included potato sack listed developer release year update release date bundle players found games recently received updates provided immediate change replacing adding assets referred potatoes players started looking deeper new assets discovered series referred games associated specific letters nonsense sentences lead specific hints direct online services twitter youtube clues case sections new levels included code referred latitude coordinates tribes headquarters player jake traveled tribes discovered posted outside headquarters tribes developers learning presence began filming street later use footage climbing pole find clues clue second phase second update april games received second major update players found completing certain tasks game presented screens fictional science corporation steam interface tasks clues led log science screens provided players compressed archives pictures consisted portal artwork including photographs seattle valve based embedded alpha channels archive included portion larger archive protected unveiled letters update larger archive gave photographs seattle area locations points mapped connected puzzle instructions map showed word prelude furthermore players reached logged screens received potato icon accessed screen steam profile update april update game released updates portal themed levels based science ball killing floor players found completing specific tasks new content presented science screen time screens provided cryptic audio clue clues found clues relating previously identified locations seattle mapping points locations commonly shared clue players led steam group contained single member dinosaur reference earlier portal announcement user profile gave code pointed website countdown time set morning april players discovered audio clues awarded potato steam profile total possible potatoes found games referenced steam group 36th earned obtaining potatoes concurrent changes portal available pre loading steam client point journalists players suspected portal unlocked early end countdown separate puzzle embedded messages sent number gaming sites message suggested early release material thirteen chambers seemingly referring independent games message referencing planned portal release date countdown april drew near heavily involved players appeared chat rooms leaving message hole sky fly line early advertisements portal contacted players individuals remained cryptic actions appearing infected later revealed players contacted valve days prior invited valve headquarters play portal home end countdown countdown website new page fictional science website calling home distributed computing efforts like folding home site stated players generated cycles playing thirteen games earlier effectively suggesting earlier release portal originally scheduled time april number potatoes found serve help boost effort game saw update phase special chamber portal themed map opened players complete game achievement players organized schedule games played maximize rate progression eventually ended portal steam hours scheduled time approximately players successfully earned potatoes time portal launch given valve complete pack including portal gift players players found thirteen potatoes played games minimum time received portal themed items reunion june bundle briefly returned steam development valve previously performed week prior announcement portal start march initiated new patch portal led sequence puzzles ultimately solved hours patch release idea came valve president december following success saw way promote highly anticipated portal release independent games cross game design event games believed valve targeted developers proven track records working developers necessarily sales popularity specific games valve invited independent developers headquarters december explain rationale visit valve explain promotion ultimate goal early release portal conclusion according ceo according lazy studios valve assured developers open relationship stating constraints project built trust mutual respect commented studios got involved knowing likely promises help valve gave developers free game structure access portal intellectual property include games assets included voice work voice actress recorded additional lines developers games players furthermore developers given opportunity play existed portal build ideas valve indie developers worked days design creating phases timing phases allow puzzles solved general fiction game developers decided design fiction return apparently destroyed end portal leaving clues revival games potato theme based portal fiction portion game personality placed potato battery help promote valve developers arranged sale easier hard core fans participate aspect december meeting second gathering march prior launch direct verbal communication valve developers instead independent developers spent time shared provided valve plan coordinate game develop new content games cases work addition existing projects presently undertaking older programming code undertaking new additions valve helped coordinate large effort second visit valve march plans launch update tied april day addition potatoes sentences line normally sees day players monitored developers internet relay chat forums web sites coordinate solving effort allowed example tribes prepare jake visit integration chat log puzzles example chat room user following red herring visited physical location near california studio able arrange meet user signed copy super meat boy monitoring players enabled developers provide hints clues puzzles players struggling allow progress timely manner puzzles included cross game clues finding science screens game felt increased cross game complexity puzzles time plan developers aided agility valve participation second phase developers asked involved fed image message media outlets valve placed hidden messages promotional videos portal helped point players specific directions including calling players points players unexpected means solve puzzle developers player community worked issues cases players attempted download beta versions patches games valve able respond usually minutes block access valve quickly responded web site steam credentials award players potatoes having complete target achievements potatoes earned way valve later revoked let players earn legitimate means players examined files code games try find strings normally seen playing game case action served reveal solution puzzle truly solved players discouraged behavior apologized valve actions possible developers laid red tried hack including use commented changes developers completion aspect considered weak fiction believed integrated game start release potato sack april bad decision according press exposure thought conjunction april fool events occurring day media outlets hesitant report potential fear having later phase certain players taken felt extracted players game early influential coordinating chat rooms leaving remaining players confused instead suggested found way allow players continue participating near end considered push appearance home biggest failing originally scheduled april pushed april allow players including international ones participate effort release portal early gain media attention instead developers found existing players frustrated new puzzles new players brought site media skeptical saw event cheap media ploy players buy potato sack hope early portal release reception overall alternate reality game received mixed response gamers praising outstanding marketing portal indie gamers considering way force players buy games want gain access portal earlier gamepro considered risky marketing relied valve long standing reputation community build trust hugely positive sign support indie games company forbes considered tactic huge benefit indie developers games led steam sales charts weeks leading portal release noted entirely possible ignore alternate reality game negative effects losing potential benefits critical commenting players north_america having release hours earlier occurring overnight business usual able play day players purchased spent time games simply wasted money didn want gain criticized providing idea expectation reward successfully completed comparing hour gain movie christmas story main character saving money waiting weeks secret ring message radio program finds coded message advertising alexander suggested instead players idea type reward offered exceed player expectations completed retailers countries disc based version game days steam release opted break street date avoid losing sales digital downloads direct sales steam unknown helped boost sales independent games promotion second highest selling compilation steam week prior portal release following portal ahead bundle programmer noted promotion people playing game time compared players event saw opportunity create new game based themed addition games pleased sales increased helped continue live comfortably games claimed boost sales amnesia days sale completely covered development costs added content developed believed similar run future presence major title like portal long significant players journalists noted user reviews portal metacritic evoked negative opinion game believed tied minimal impact portal release time users cited complaints game short saying hours long existence paid downloadable content launch versions supposed evidence game ports console version journalists defended valve claims game length depends player puts game downloadable content additions mode quality graphics windows mac version suggest simple console port
Potato Sack