The Blackout Club came out of early access on Steam last week and, to the uninitiated, appears to be a co-op horror game about a group of kids sneaking around at night while their mind-controlled parents do the biddings of a dark and mysterious master. And while yeah, it is that, it's also a complex and ever-expanding alternate reality game that narratively develops through interactions between gods that communicate directly to players in the game. Stay with me.

In our review of The Blackout Club, we explained the Enhanced Horror System, which allows the developers to listen in on player's conversations and talk to them using the persona of one of the ten (so far) known gods. These messages and conversations between the gods and the players are slowly revealing some of the big mysteries of the game and serve to expand the lore of The Blackout Club. Like any good ARG, players need to pool their information to get a clearer picture of just what the hell is going on, because these conversations with the gods are one of a kind, in the moment, and what they tell players is often not repeated to any one else.

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This is by no means an exhaustive list of the secrets contained within The Blackout Club. Just like the infinitely descending tunnels beneath the town of Redacre, every layer uncovered simply reveals how little we really know. What follows are more or less the broad strokes of The Blackout Club lore with some great resources at the end if you're ready to take the plunge and join the club. If you're lucky, one of the gods may tell you a secret that no one else knows, then you'll be well and truly in the club.

What's Going On In The Town Of Redacre?

Redacre is a small town located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, a real world place where internet, radio, and cell signals are strictly prohibited. By day, Redacre is a seemingly normal Rockwellian town, but at night things take a turn for the macabre.

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The adults of Redacre all begin to sleep walk around town, mumbling nonsense and reacting violently to any noise they hear. Many of them work in labyrinthine tunnels beneath the town. These tunnels run between all the houses and seem to be some forming some kind of demonic instrument while individual chambers also take on the characteristics of different organs in the body. No one knows yet what the exact purpose of these tunnels are, but some evidence points it being for the benefit of a god named Speak-As-One.

Meanwhile, the children of Redacre experience blackouts at night (hence the name) and wake up in strange places covered in mud and blood. Those who stay awake scour Redacre collecting evidence of what's going on, but if one of the sleep walkers ever catches them, they are taken to The Shape, an invisible creature that devours children.

Who Is CHORUS And What Are They Up To?

CHORUS is an enigmatic corporation that supplies all of the utilities to the town of Redacre. It is believed that they are involved in whatever dark machinations take place in the town, as they control communication by way of supplying cell phones to Redacre. All bonus evidence collected in the game is branded with the CHORUS logo, indicating that they are a significant threat and central to the mysteries of the game.

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The CHORUS logo is a group of 5 people saying "CHORUS" in a speech bubble, indicating their connection to the antagonist Speak-As-One. Speech is central themes in The Blackout Club, as is dance, the original form of communication. Tracking themes is an important element to unraveling the mysteries of the game, as the gods very rarely speak plainly or clearly.

Voices, Hosts, and Gods

The voices that children hear and images they see when they close their eyes are actually the gods. Each child is a host to one of the gods, and while more than one may speak to them, one god is designated as the patron for each person. As the Whisper Twins can be heard discussing in the boxcar: "Eventually I think we hafta pick one... Or it picks us..."

Currently there are 10 known gods, or daemons, that have made themselves known in the game. They are: Speak-As-One, Thee-I-Dare, Dance-For-us, Die-For-You, In-Her-Teeth, Laugh-Last, The-Measure-Cuts, See-The-Grudge, The unnamed "Murdergod", and the Nameless god. Breaking down all of their individual personalities, agendas, and backgrounds is better left to be explored for yourself, for now we'll focus on the conflict between two opposing gods: Speak-As-One and Thee-I-Dare.

SAO, the god of order and and unity, destroyed TID, the god of risk taking, when TID rebelled against him. Thee-I-Dare is now fractured, and fragments of his name are scattered throughout Redacre (names=power in this world). TID's hosts were also destroyed decades ago in the "great cull." Some players have been collecting these fragments in order to restore TID's power, while others, those who host Speak-As-One, have been collecting these fragments and destroying them.

Where To Start Looking For Answers

When it comes to The Blackout Club, you realize that the more you learn the less you know. This has been an introductory course to The Blackout Club meta-game, but there are some great resources if you're ready to get your hands dirty.

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The Dreaming Prophet is a podcast that offers a much more comprehensive breakdown of the lore. Hosts Lavanya and Astro explore each facet of the story in separate episodes with minimal speculation and a focus on the known facts. Not only are they dedicated players, but they've each made significant personal discoveries in the game and are diligent in sharing their info with the community.

There is an official discord server for the game where lore is discussed (check #spoilers-and-speculation) as well a wiki that has general information about all of the gods. The best resources, though, is getting in the game and talking to players. Because lore is delivered directly to individuals, talking to each other about theories and experiences is the only way to solve the mysteries. Again, communication is a major theme, so if you really want to figure out what the hell is going on, join a server, and start discussing. Before you know it, the gods may start talking to YOU.

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