As interactive multimedia experiences become more popular, streaming and television networks have been searching for new ways to engage viewers. In 2018, Netflix launched its first interactive content: an episode of Black Mirror called Bandersnatch, where the viewer’s choices determine the outcome of the story. Meshing video games with film has led to a few exciting pieces of interactive media in recent years, but that style has yet to reach its full potential. Compared to ARGs, streaming platforms have a long way to go.
The ARG, or Alternate Reality Game, is a genre that has grown in popularity in recent years. With popular series such as Marble Hornets launching the Slenderman character, the potential for these series is seemingly limitless.
Adult Swim released their first found footage horror ARG in 2017, and the series found an instant following. In the years since, Adult Swim has continued to release periodic experimental horror shorts, each developed with hours of interactivity via secret websites, additional online content, and real-world puzzles to solve. Let’s take a look at Adult Swim’s ARGs, and what might come next for the network’s horror series.
Going Off The Deep End
Adult Swim has released many horror shorts and strange segments over the years, but very few of them have had the deep lore that Alan Resnick’s Infomercials have. Airing at 4:00 A.M., this block showcases some of the network’s most experimental programming. Alan Resnick’s first Infomercial was aired in 2013, and this launched his surrealist style onto mainstream television. In the following years, Resnick would go on to create several popular horror shorts for Adult Swim, most notably Unedited Footage of a Bear and This House Has People In It.
These two shorts were not just television episodes. They had websites, phone numbers, surveillance footage, databases, and more attached to them. All of it was fabricated as part of the series’ ARGs, which would take curious viewers down the rabbit hole to uncover the mystery behind these odd broadcasts. While the original shorts were only 10 to 11 minutes long, the content created for them behind the scenes would give viewers hours of entertainment. These shorts are horrifying, surreal, and brought ARG puzzles to Adult Swim back in 2014 and 2016, which eventually led to an ongoing network-wide ARG.
In August 2017, Adult Swim began airing strange bumps during commercial breaks on Sunday nights. This was the beginning of Adult Swim’s official ARG, and it would go on to spawn many short horror films with accompanying puzzles to solve. While the network was no stranger to odd, off-the-wall, and horrifying content, this series was in its own unique league comparatively.
This series is told through commercial bumps that air on Sunday nights, relying on viewers to keep a sharp eye for new clues and content. There have been four seasons so far since 2017, and the game is still afoot. Twitter accounts, websites, fake advertisements, codes told via emojis, and more strange clues have been used to tell the story, keeping players on their toes. While Alan Resnick’s name doesn’t appear to be associated with this ARG project for Adult Swim, it’s clear his influence has had a lasting impact.
Series To Investigate
Not all of Adult Swim’s content are ARGs, and not all of its horror shorts are either. However, there are certainly a few ARGs worth investigating for fans of interactive multimedia content. The Informercials block is home to some of Adult Swim’s best short films, all of which are unique and surreal. Alan Resnick’s films were first aired during this segment, as were many other infamous Adult Swim horror shorts.
Unedited Footage of a Bear was Resnick’s first hit ARG. This short did feature unedited footage of a bear, but quickly devolved into surreal horror via frequent commercial break interruptions. Resnick’s most popular ARG short was This House Has People In It, which consisted of many security camera angles of a home as strange things began to happen to its residents. Both of these shorts included hints that led viewers to external websites, social media pages, and more with hours of content to uncover, and neither short makes sense until the viewer does their investigation.
Other horror shorts by Adult Swim, while they don’t feature ARGs, have found their own avid fanbases. Too Many Cooks is one of the fan favorites from Infomercials, which parodies a reality show’s character introduction section. Adult Swim’s most recent horror short, Yule Log, has received rave reviews for its dark comedy and holiday setting. Their animated show Uzumaki, based on the manga series of the same name by Junji Ito, is highly anticipated for its surrealist imagery and striking visual adaptation of the source material. Adult Swim's Toonami block will continue to feature horror shows as well, attracting more fans of terrifying content.
While Adult Swim may be better known as a late-night comedy network, its horror content is uniquely terrifying and deserving of praise. There are many Adult Swim horror shorts to enjoy, and if you’re looking for a challenge, their ARG series is alive and well with sporadic updates teasing new information. The release of new content in its ARGs and new shorts to its various segments may be less than predictable, but we’re certain there will be more horror content to enjoy in the future.