The LOST ARG Is One Of The Best TV Show Tie-In Events Of All Time - Even After Nearly 20 Years, Nothing's Come Close To Its Genius

screenrant.com:

ARGs (Augmented Reality Games) are a popular way of engaging fans of a show or video game by having them solve puzzles both online and in real life, with the best revolving around the likes of ,, and. There are also ARGs that aren't tied to any particular media, although these are mostly horror-focused. While not all ARGs end up fondly remembered or seen as culturally significant as the media they are attached to, there are a few that stand out above the rest.

Perhaps one of the best-known ARGs is the, which coincided with the release of the famous show's third season. While there are plenty of amazing horror ARGs, the ARG managed to completely immerse fans in its fascinating world thanks to the sheer amount of effort put into it. The was a wild ride for fans and nothing has come even remotely close to exceeding it since it ended.

The ARG, also known as the, took place in 2006 between the second and third seasons of the show. It was created by Channel 4 in the UK, ABC in America, Channel Seven in Australia, and the design agency Hi-ReS!.. The intention of the ARG was to build interest in the show andflesh out the lore that had been building up across the first two seasons, specifically with the mysterious Dharma Initiative. The ARG took place both online and offline, with it being made up of podcasts, websites, in-person events, chocolate bars, and a novel.

This was one of the most ambitious ARGs of all time, especially as it also had real companies, such as Sprite, and even taking part. While not all of the ARG's storyline was incorporated into the full show, there are plenty of elements of it that ended up becoming canon. Its exploration of the fictional company, the Hanso Foundation — which was the parent company of the Dharma Initiative — was the main aspect that was eventually folded into the show's mythos and lore.

The was an ambitious ARG that was ahead of its time. Of course, video game and TV fans are aware of ARGs now, with horror games like getting ARGs.