NRM or ARG? Alternate Reality Games and Invented Religion on the Internet

Alternate Reality Games, or ARGs, are a form of internet based interactive storytelling that blurs the lines between fiction and reality. ARGs present their narrative as true through what is called an “aesthetic of authenticity,” sometimes creating confusion over what is an ARG or genuine. Given that some ARGs present themselves as internet based religions, this can make it difficult for scholars to tell whether what they are observing is “real.” I will illustrate this difficulty with the case of the TSUKI Project, whose followers were split over whether they were following a real religion or playing an ARG. In bringing together the digitality of new religions and invented religions, I argue that whether the TSUKI Project originated as an ARG does not determine its authenticity as a religion. Rather, if its followers believe it to be real, what we are observing is authentic religious practice.