Shonen Ace Next Issue Teaser
In late September 2001, readers of Shonen Ace were given their first hint that a new project was on the horizon.
Announcement of an Announcement
One week before Tokyo Game Show 2001, CyberConnect2 announced their new project would be unveiled at the event.
At this point, the title had not yet been revealed, and visitors were simply encouraged to wait for further information at Tokyo Game Show.
Tokyo Game Show 2001 Promotional Video
When the event finally arrived, attendees were given their first look at the project through promotional videos shown at Bandai's booth.
Tokyo Game Show 2001 Mousepad
The limited mousepad extended the experience beyond Tokyo Game Show, directing attendees to the newly launched official website for further information.
.hack Name Reveal
While attendees at Tokyo Game Show were discovering the project in person, those following from afar learned its name the very same day: .hack.
.hack Website Launch
With the title now public, the official website became the primary source of information about the project.
Tokyo Game Show 2001 Summary
With Tokyo Game Show behind them, CyberConnect2 turned attention to the next stage of the campaign, previewing the promotional mousepad and teasing the first character reveal in the December issue of Shonen Ace.
Bandai's Official Announcement
Four months later, Bandai finally revealed the full scope of the project: a multimedia initiative spanning games, animation, manga, novels, and more.