EIEIO 2008: How Velvet Assassin will help you find real-life Nazi gold

11:08 AM on 03.14.2008   |   Nick Chester

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Promotional alternate reality games are nothing new in the videogame industry, but here's a first -- a game that will help you uncover hidden bricks of Nazi gold. During a demo of Replay Studio's PC and Xbox 360 title Velvet Assassin at EIEIO 2008 last week, the game's creative Sascha Jungnickel starts going off on an interesting tangent.

He starts talking about how secret operatives like the game's main character, Violette Summers, would have to hide money throughout Europe in case of emergencies that would require funds. Through his thick accent it's difficult to follow entirely, and it almost sounds like he starts making up this next part as he goes along. He tells us how players will be able to find hidden Nazi gold in real life, and to make his point, he picks up a small brick of real gold and passes it around the room.

As he puts it, players will be able to use the game's "morphine" mode mechanic to overdose and uncover hidden clues that will hint at where this gold is hidden. He also tells us that offline game time-ins will exists; like going on eBay to purchase a gas mask that would contain more clues, for instance.

He stops short of any details before wondering out loud where the gold brick had went in a room full of videogame journalists. Confused and stunned, I followed up with Gamecock's PR to get the official word and was told, "You officially know more than I do." Replay Studios are being vague, but people are being advised to "keep their eyes open" for more official details closer to release.