When we last left off with the Test Subjects Needed (aka Human Preservation Project, aka Mission Icefly) ARG, we had found the Survival Code website that lead to a countdown, as well as the site for the Traelak Institute. Now there are a few more updates for the campaign, including a creepy voicemail message found. While it’s clear that this ARG is for Wrigley’s 5Gum, the campaign just turned down a dark road, or does it? Details after the break.
Each person’s Survival Code profile has a set of ten “constellation keys” that are activated when you enter a key code. We have discovered that these codes are found on packages of 5Gum, and that there are ten keys represented as the symbols for ten flavors of the gum. Unfortunately, each code is unique, so you have to purchase a specially marked pack of the gum to get one, which has proven to be a challenge for our fellow members of Unfiction, leading Wrigley to actually confirm they are part of the campaign (not that it was needed at this point). Once activated, keys illuminate. These codes also work for the “Test Facility Keys” on the left of your profile. While the site says there are three available keys, apparently more become available if you use your code for all three.
Of course, the Unfiction forum couldn’t leave the voicemail on the Traelek phone number (866-843-5774) alone, so they immediately started investigating. Someone decided to randomly type in the number 786 after the line connects, and the sh*t hits the fan. A recording is presented that has a woman being attacked, and it’s quite realistic and frightening. Fortunately, this turns out to be from the Year Zero campaign that 42 Entertainment did for the Nine Inch Nails album of the same name in 2007. It looks like a byproduct of “re-using the same voice mailing system/service across campaigns”, as our friend Geoff May (aka Wikibruce) put it. In fact, if you type in a few three digit codes starting with 78_, you’ll find other old ARG relics.
Speaking of Wikibruce, the site has a good breakdown of what the narrative might be in those videos we’ve seen for the Test Subjects Needed ARG. You may remember that there are two girls in a car, one of whom does drawings that end up being real when she grows up. Check out the site to see if you agree with his assessment of the story it’s trying to tell. Check out Unfiction for all kinds of analysis and conspiracy theories. Let us know in the comments below if you have any other updates!