Michael Andersen
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mjandersen.bsky.social
Michael Andersen
@mjandersen.bsky.social
Stares at numbers at Simon and Schuster, runs ARGN.com - more ARGs, escape rooms, immersive theater, and puzzle stuff than you probably want to hear
Pinned
Noticed an uptick in followers over the last few days and based on the bios, I suspect I have the @noproscenium.com Starter Pack to thank. So, it's probably worth doing a brief intro!

Hi. I'm Michael: I run ARGN.com, and am based out of the NYC area.
I don't understand why people ask GenAI to solve puzzles for them when they could ask smart friends to do it, instead.

That second option is so much more effective.
February 10, 2026 at 11:57 PM
IT'S HERE
February 9, 2026 at 9:47 PM
For the morning crowd: I wrote about the Salesforce / MrBeast puzzle hunt, breaking down some of how it's structured (and why I think we're starting to see more campaigns like it, again)

...and yes, I'm kicking myself now that I realized the final step I was missing on the puzzle I featured.
Start Slacking Off with MrBeast’s Million Dollar Puzzle Hunt | ARGNet: Alternate Reality Gaming Network
Salesforce's newest Super Bowl commercial launched a Million Dollar Puzzle, in collaboration with MrBeast. The puzzles extend beyond the Big Game spot itself, promising to extend out into the real wor...
www.argn.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Michael Andersen
ARGNet | Start Slacking Off with MrBeast's Million Dollar Puzzle Hunt
Start Slacking Off with MrBeast’s Million Dollar Puzzle Hunt | ARGNet: Alternate Reality Gaming Network
Salesforce's newest Super Bowl commercial launched a Million Dollar Puzzle, in collaboration with MrBeast. The puzzles extend beyond the Big Game spot itself, promising to extend out into the real wor...
www.argn.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:39 AM
...the Bud Light commercial is cute, but is mostly making me crave cheese.
February 9, 2026 at 1:16 AM
...is Backstreet Boys karaoke a regional ad, or is everybody seeing this?

...oh, crypto.
February 9, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Massive missed opportunity to promote the Excel World Championships instead of Copilot integration.
February 9, 2026 at 12:52 AM
...okay, Squarespace made me chuckle.
February 9, 2026 at 12:18 AM
I'm confused, I thought the Scream series was horror comedy.
February 8, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Just wrote the phrase "Freleng Door Gag" in an article.

Was that pretentious of me, and I should have just called it the "Scooby Doo Doors"? Absolutely. Will I be changing it to the more commonly known version? Heck no. Y'all are going to learn the name Friz Freleng even if it's against your will.
February 8, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Michael Andersen
Well gosh...I'm seeing a few things on this YouTube page that look decidedly like puzzles! -mja
Watch My Super Bowl Ad To Win $1,000,000!
YouTube video by MrBeast 2
www.youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:35 PM
One step closer to VHS releases!
🚨 Get ready for a Game Changer — now on Blu-Ray!

Dropout's first-ever Blu-Ray release features Season 1 & Season 2 of Game Changer.

These beloved seasons been here the whole time, and now they're yours forever!
February 6, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Empathetic bartender saw a frequent patron get dumped right in front of him, and handed a stiff drink to take the edge off.

METED HIGHBALL (FREE)
they love competing against each other, until one of them decides to throw it all away:
Yeeted Rivalry
Two competing tailors form an unlikely alliance:
Pleated Rivalry
February 5, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Beloved Cozy Fantasy author is helped through a panic attack in a convention greenroom by a sympathetic fellow author

GREETED SHY BALDREE
The two best woodworkers in the country secretly pine for each other.

Treated Rivalry.
The two best tailors in the country secretly pine for each other.

Pleated Rivalry
February 5, 2026 at 9:56 PM
The wildest thing to me is that Fruit of the Loom doesn't start selling clothes with the cornucopia logo, now.

That simple act would breathe so much life into their brand.
February 5, 2026 at 5:20 PM
So proud of my coworkers right now: somebody accidentally reply all'd a large distro list, and it DIDN'T turn into a never-ending email chain.

Silence reigned, and work went on.
February 5, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Muppet Manchild is now the official music video for the song. It just is.
a woman is surrounded by stuffed chickens in front of a bar that says tippling
ALT: a woman is surrounded by stuffed chickens in front of a bar that says tippling
media.tenor.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:01 AM
Trust in the Emergency Tux - I may not have gotten the magic ticket number at tonight's lotto, but I did win a ticket to tonight's show so I get to be immersed in Phantom regardless!
Practically BRIMMING with overconfidence now that my Emergency Tux is in place (I lost the lotto today, but there will be another on Tuesday and Lotto 666 / Ticket 666 should be in the mix, the way they've been doing it)
February 3, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Michael Andersen
Well this sent me on a nostalgia trip #TheBeast www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-RZ...
The BEAST | A.I. ARG Mystery | DEEP CUTS
YouTube video by RetelFactor
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Michael Andersen
O.M.G. So great to see a video essay by @RetroGamingNow about Alternate Reality Game "Lauscherhans" which I created 20 years ago. This story means a lot for me. Back to the days, 100-200 people played it. Now: around 3 Mio people watched it. So grateful!
www.youtube.com/watc...
February 2, 2026 at 4:08 PM
I had aspirations of getting stuff done after work, but alternatively sleep sounds kinda great.
February 2, 2026 at 11:58 PM
"Hide Your Face So The World Will Never Find You (and So You Won't Get Frostbite)"
February 1, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Heading into the city to try for Masquerade Lotto 666 tickets tomorrow, and I think it might finally be time to just keep an "Emergency Tux" in my office.
February 1, 2026 at 4:07 AM
...I also got the Sleep No More book, to match my other Sleep No More book.
playstorypress.org/books/the-ps...
The Psychgeist of Pop Culture – Sleep No More – Play Story Press
playstorypress.org
January 31, 2026 at 1:01 AM