The annual Steam winter sale is underway with discounts on thousands of games. But it may be more than just a typical Steam sale.
Some Steam users believe that they have found clues pointing to a secret alternative reality game. So much so that there’s now a subreddit dedicated to the case.
It started because of the Steam sale comic about a detective named Gingerbread Jake, and item names like "Follow the Clues" have prompted some users to pursue a path of investigation.
Users have discovered words and letter jumbles hidden in the backgrounds of comic pages, while there may also be clues attached to sale-specific Steam profile backgrounds, cards, badges, and emoticons, many of which are still hidden.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Valve has run an alternative reality game. It previously launched an alternative reality game for Portal 2 that tasked players with logging play time to collect 13 Potato Sack titles and find in-game potatoes. When the game finished, Portal 2 launched, while those who collected all 36 potatoes, some of which were very difficult to find, received the Valve Complete Pack.
Head over to the dedicated Steam Sale Detectives subreddit if you want to see how deep this rabbit hole goes.