Spectacular real world events transmitted secret messages that were captured in photographs or video before they reached the "vanishing point”. These real world clues were then used to help players solve online puzzles that were simultaneously unlocked on the "Vanishing Point" website. These events took place in 12 major cities around the US, Australia, Canada, England, Germany, and Singapore.

Online communities of players spontaneously developed to create resources such as forums, photo/video archives, online hints and even web-radio stations that broadcast in real-time during the live events. This created an enormous global media and consumer buzz surrounding the game. Over a million people were drawn to the experience, and nearly 100,000 people actively played.