I recently came across Something in the Sea, an old Flash game that was part of the marketing campaign for BioShock 2. It basically served as a mysterious prequel/teaser, expanding the lore and building up the story before the game even came out.
The cool thing is that it's still preserved in an online archive!
https://www.rapturearchives.org/php/sits.php
The only problem is that since it's a Flash game, you can't normally play it anymore because Flash is no longer supported by modern browsers.
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But there's actually a pretty easy workaround. You can install a Chrome extension like Ruffle Flash Emulator, which lets you run old Flash content directly in your browser. Just install it and you can explore the whole Something in the Sea experience again!
Personally, I think this is such a cool way to use storytelling as marketing. It's mysterious, immersive, adds to the lore, and makes the world of Rapture feel even more alive. I wish more games did stuff like this.
Did any of you experience it back when BioShock 2 was coming out? What do you think about this kind of marketing?
Definitely give it a try if you haven't! :)