A Conspiracy to Sell Games

Trust no one. “Majestic” is here.

Created by video game giant Electronic Arts Inc., “Majestic” is a computer conspiracy game reminiscent of “The Manchurian Candidate.” Unlike most games, however, there are no baddies to shoot, no power-ups to collect, no scores to track.

Instead, “Majestic” players are enmeshed in a murder mystery and fed a stream of clues that comes via phone, fax, e-mail, video and audio clips, and instant-message “conversations” with computer-generated characters.

The online game comes in four monthly episodes, but players can get a taste by signing up for a free pilot episode through https://www.ea.com. Those who want more must pay $9.99 a month to play.

To promote this new brand of neurotic fun, Electronic Arts is launching an $8-million marketing campaign next week. The company is placing men in black suits with cryptic signs on street corners in Los Angeles; New York; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco. Guerrilla marketers will smear lipstick messages on bathroom mirrors in various nightclubs.

“Majestic” originally was set to debut this spring, but the company delayed the launch to make the game more engaging, creepy and bizarre, executives say.