ABSTRACT
This paper describes the design, development, and implementation of an alternate reality game (ARG) created by a small team of graduate students in the Digital Media program at the University of Central Florida. The paper specifically focuses on how social distancing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic hindered traditionally collaborative college campus environments and what techniques the team took to overcome those limitations in order to create a fun and engaging experience for players. The solution for overcoming those limitations included designing an ARG that promoted a sense of involvement by framing the game as a student-run organization for those interested to join. Through the utilization of engaging puzzle games, fictional narratives, and online platforms, the ARG known as the Fairy Investigation Club was a unique medium for collaboration and involvement in the face of a global pandemic. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.