Support NeoGAF

[dex3108]

So when Steam Winter Sale started some folks from reddit noticed some hidden number in Winter Comic that is part of the Winter Sale. At first i thought that they are imagining but today they discovered that there is part of the code that activates secret password prompt and script that triggers this is called nothingtoseehere.js.

https://www.reddit.com/r/steamsaledetectives/

What do you thing GAF people? HL3 confirmed?

 

[Zomba13]

I doubt it will amount to much but it is interesting.

 

[vocab]

It's probably nothing.

 

[Corpekata]

It's going to end up being a coupon for 20 percent off sacks of gems.

 

[dave is ok]

I have a Golden Potato badge. I'm in

 

[Pranay]

Will be your account details

 

[blamite]

First person to solve it gets access to Gaben's Steam account

 

[YianGaruga]

Maybe it unlocks daily deals

 

[Stumpokapow]

Will be your account details

Will be my account details

 

[Sorian]

First person to solve it gets access to Gaben's Steam account

He owns only bad rats and has 6 cents in his steam wallet.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

It would be cool if there was an ARG or something. This sale has been rather bland as far as the metagame/narrative is concerned. I want to believe.

 

[internetwolf]

the outline around the box


its...
orange

 

[Crono27]

maybe they are adding hats in csgo.. i totally don't want this...(I really do)

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

It's probably nothing.

Well, there are clues hidden in the art related to the comic and cards produced for this year's sale 'metagame', so there's probably something to it:

The above image comes directly from Valve's Akamai CDN.

This enhancement was done by a redditor who happened to spy the numbers in the bottom left.

There's also a few pieces of art that have changed significantly from the original uploads.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

The password prompt won't open in the Steam client but will in my browser. Wouldn't they want it to work in both places?

 

[cyba89]

You have to enter the phone number of the account you got during the Great Steam Christmas Account Lottery®.

 

[FallenOwl]

This is getting interesting

 

[dex3108]

Based on posts on reddit it seems that script was added on Christmas.

 

[Ludens]

I think the password prompt is just another screw-up by Valve while trying to fix Steam.

 

[Arkeband]

The pictures above just look related to the Penguins on the trading cards. Isn't it supposed to be a whodunnit mystery?

 

[epmode]

This is it. This is the big one. This time it's for real. Not like those other times.

It's Half-Life 3.

Let's go.

 

[InsaneTiger]

This is getting so tiresome. Valve is not making Half-Life. Move on.

 

[Crono27]

This is getting so tiresome. Valve is not making Half-Life. Move on.

but gabe is ^_________^

 

[demosthenes]

the outline around the box


its...
orange

Ha, didn't notice that. Cute Valve.

 

[Kadin]

Based on posts on reddit it seems that script was added on Christmas.

I wonder if they can figure out if it was before or after the store went down when the problems started.

edit: Just saw this.

UPDATE
Entering the code from the hitman page as an url:
store.steampowered.com/wintercomic/4f21ca7
returns a soundfile.
"I was on the right track, I could feel it. Tomorrow, I was going to search again"

 

[Jarate]

Half Life 3 confirmed!

 

[Knurek]

Free Half-Life 3 beta access for, let's say, randomly selected 34,000 Steam users?

 

[pizzacat]

You probably get access to other people's accounts

 

[Corto]

You'll get access to Gabe's account. Half Life 3 is there.

 

[Wag]

Lemonade Stand HD.

 

[GreatNumber]

Half Life: Frog Fractions 2 confirmed.

 

[Symphonic]

Oh man I'm so in. I love ARGs.

 

[Possumowner]

Is it a frog? Oh god no its Howard the Duck

 

[Maiden Voyage]

edit: Just saw this.

Awesome! Sounds like there is something to it afterall.

 

[Nazo]

It'll probably be nothing. Like always...or some content for Dota 2, TF2, or CS:GO.

I honesty don't know why Valve even bothers with ARG's anymore if they're not going to lead to anything substantial. All it does is throw a minority of people into a tizzy, desperately clinging to some kind of Hope for Half Life 3. Just to be disappointed time and time again.

 

[_woLf]

Kinda ironic that the ARG involves weirdly named javascript files given recent events.

 

[Spirited]

So Reddit found even more stuff for the ARG including a sound file saying "I was on the right track, I could feel it. Tomorrow, I was going to search again"

 

[katagai]

Probably that apology you were looking for.

 

[dave is ok]

I've tried this on three browsers and can't get the dialogue from the browser after I enter the code. Why

 

[epmode]

Wait, you tried three browsers?

omgomgomg

 

[The Lone Courier]

Maybe the site's just going haywire again.

 

[Asgaro]

This is it. This is the big one. This time it's for real. Not like those other times.

It's Half-Life 3.

Let's go.

I ... I believe.

 

[zdenko1]

Maybe the site's just going haywire again.

It's not. There is actually ARG going on but no one knows what we'll get if we solve it. People are mindstorming it here https://www.reddit.com/r/steamsaledetectives

 

[injurai]

damn interns

 

[Mikey Jr.]

Please be something.

Edit: this reddit thread shows that there is a little bit to this. Especially the sound file.
https://www.reddit.com/r/steamsaledetectives/comments/3yu3cs/revelations_of_today/

 

[SuperChoco]

So is this where the dailies went

 

[Blizzard]

Couldn't this simply be an ARG leading to the actual killer in the comic?

 

[MrCunningham]

I wonder if they can figure out if it was before or after the store went down when the problems started.

edit: Just saw this.

I was wondering if this Christmas Noir themed thing was leading to an ARG event. You do unlock a map/ background if you collect all the cards. Though I didn't bother looking at it as I just converted my badge prize into gems so I could unlock some booster packs.

 

[Robot Pants]

I doubt it will amount to much but it is interesting.

.

 

[JaseC]

Couldn't this simply be an ARG leading to the actual killer in the comic?

Yeah, I don't expect this to lead to much, but Valve must be acutely aware that any ARG is instantly going to have people assuming it's related to an impending game announcement. I'll actually be a little surprised if L4D3 misses 2016.