Tron goes viral

Tron’s viral marketing campaign has been quietly gathering speed over the last few months, with the release of Encom’s corporate website, the Flynn Lives game hub, various stills from the film, a trailer, and now an interactive game.

Arcade Aid, located at www.arcadeaid.com, asks players to solve visual clues for the titles of classic games. When all 56 are correctly identified, the opportunity to create a fake Encom ID badge is granted, which will most likely come in useful for further stages of the Alternate Reality Game (ARG).

Viral games have become a staple of major science-fiction releases over the last few years. JJ Abrams-related shows and films have become commonly associated with them of course – take the Cloverfield campaign, and the various Lost ARGs that have played out over the last few years. In addition, Dollhouse ran a bizarre campaign that launched around the same time that the show was cancelled, and other properties have had various meta-stories waiting for people to find them.

Tron Legacy’s is a bit more rewarding, as you earn achievements for playing the game and get real rewards such as the Encom ID. Indeed, it plays out more like a game than a faux-reality investigation, which might do a lot to draw in those who normally wouldn’t go for viral campaigns, particularly as you can review your profile and post to Facebook through the website, flynnlives.com.

Tron Legacy is released in December 2010.