--- title: "What is Ong’s Hat? An FAQ" url: "https://josephmatheny.com/some-ongs-hat-audio-and-video-pieces/" language: "en-US" updated: "2026-10-30T22:55:10+00:00" --- # What is Ong’s Hat? An FAQ > Ong's Hat is one of the earliest Internet-based secret history conspiracy theories. It was created as a piece of collaborative fiction by four core individuals, dating back to the 1980s, although the membership propagating the tale changed over time. Ong's Hat is often cited as the first alternate reality game on many lists of ARGs. An FAQ can be found at https://josephmatheny.com/some-ongs-hat-audio-and-video-pieces/ ## A collection of text, audio, and video pieces about the Ong’s Hat ARG project [FULL LIST OF RELATED INTERVIEWS AND REVIEWS HERE](https://josephmatheny.com/interviews/incunabula-ongs-hat-specific-reviews/) ## VIDEO *The mystery of Ong’s Hat and what it revealed!* *The First Internet Hoax: Inside a Mind* *Why Did This Entire Village of Scientists Disappear One Day?* *Joseph Matheny Appears on How Conspiracy Theories Become Violent | Truth Hurts | VICE* *Did An Alternate Reality Game Gone Wrong Predict The Rise of QAnon?* *Où sont passés ces gens disparus à Ong’s Hat ? – Le mystère d’internet qui est allé trop loin* *Tales of Weird NJ: Bovine, Bigfoot & Frogs* *Hi, Strangeness* ## AUDIO [![This Is Not a Game is the extraordinary untold story of the internet’s first conspiracy theory, the legend of Ong’s Hat.](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/51nxkc7gc1l._sl500_.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)](https://www.audible.com/pd/This-Is-Not-a-Game-with-Marc-Fennell-Audiobook/B0CYM73MWM) [This Is Not a Game is the extraordinary untold story of the internet’s first conspiracy theory, the legend of Ong’s Hat.](https://www.audible.com/pd/This-Is-Not-a-Game-with-Marc-Fennell-Audiobook/B0CYM73MWM) --- [![vayse podcast](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1200x1200bb.jpg?resize=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1200x1200bb.jpg?ssl=1) *Infinite Game – Vayse to Face with Joseph Matheny* [![Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/secret-histories-of-nerd-mysteries-400x400-1.jpg?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/secret-histories-of-nerd-mysteries-400x400-1.jpg?ssl=1) *Ong’s Hat: How did the First ARG Spiral out of Control?* [![That Would Be Rad: S3 E15: Ong's Hat - A Gateway to New Dimensions](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/313x0w.webp?resize=313%2C313&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/313x0w.webp?ssl=1) *That Would Be Rad: S3 E15: Ong’s Hat – A Gateway to New Dimensions* [![Ong's Hat: Alternative Reality Games Are Not Games](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/61mggp-mx4l-1.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/61mggp-mx4l-1.jpg?ssl=1) *Ong’s Hat: Alternative Reality Games Are Not Games* [![Information Golem: New Mini-Series from TOOWi Arts](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/52d1ac1c592b7a7523e36c7d82efa40a.jpg?resize=720%2C720&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/52d1ac1c592b7a7523e36c7d82efa40a.jpg?ssl=1) *Information Golem: New Mini-Series from TOOWi Arts The Origin Story of Joseph Matheny and the Ong’s Hat ARG* ### [Multipart audio series](https://josephmatheny.com/2022/07/05/information-golem-new-mini-series-from-toowi-arts/) --- [![Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know: The Strange Story of Ong’s Hat](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/the_strange_story_of_ong_s_hat-mp3-image.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/the_strange_story_of_ong_s_hat-mp3-image.jpg?ssl=1) *Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know* *Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know: The Strange Story of Ong’s Hat* ### Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know: The Strange Story of Ong’s Hat --- [![The Red Pages Podcast: Episode 154: Chatting with Joseph Matheny](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/red-pages-podcast-episode-154-chatting-with-joseph-matheny.png?resize=548%2C92&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/red-pages-podcast-episode-154-chatting-with-joseph-matheny.png?ssl=1) *[http://redpagespodcast.com/listen/chatting-with-joseph-matheny](http://redpagespodcast.com/listen/chatting-with-joseph-matheny)* [https://archive.org/download/rpp-20-09-29/RPP20-09-29.mp3](https://archive.org/download/rpp-20-09-29/RPP20-09-29.mp3) ### The Red Pages Podcast: Episode 154: Chatting with Joseph Matheny --- [![ARG Pioneer Joseph Matheny on the Counterculture’s Hijacking from Corporatization to QAnon](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/qanon-1.jpg?resize=600%2C350&ssl=1)](https://parallaxviews.podbean.com/e/ep92/) *ARG Pioneer Joseph Matheny on the Counterculture’s Hijacking from Corporatization to QAnon* [https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/mkhhja/ParallaxViews\_MathenyQ.mp3](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/mkhhja/ParallaxViews_MathenyQ.mp3) ### ARG Pioneer Joseph Matheny on the Counterculture’s Hijacking from Corporatization to QAnon --- [![Slate-Decoder Ring: The Incunabula Papers](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/b0c345ca-1941-4548-be17-3f397a5af444.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)](https://slate.com/culture/2018/10/decoder-ring-explores-the-interdimensional-conspiracy-theory-known-as-ongs-hat-the-man-who-created-it-and-the-new-form-of-art-it-birthed.html?via=section_features) *Slate-Decoder Ring: The Incunabula Papers* [http://dcs.megaphone.fm/SLT5448932272.mp3](http://dcs.megaphone.fm/SLT5448932272.mp3) ### Slate-Decoder Ring: The Incunabula Papers --- ## WEB/PRINT [![Ong's Hat: The Beginning Authorized Version](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/cover.jpg?resize=1802%2C2772&ssl=1)](https://www.amazon.com/Ongs-Hat-Beginning-Authorized-Version/dp/1726734692/) *Ong’s Hat: The Beginning Authorized Version* ### [Ong’s Hat: The Beginning Authorized Version (Book)](https://www.amazon.com/Ongs-Hat-Beginning-Authorized-Version/dp/1726734692/) --- [![Center your Schizowave (An interview w Joesph Matheny)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/add-new-post-e280b9-joseph-matheny-e28094-wordpress.png?resize=795%2C444&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/add-new-post-e280b9-joseph-matheny-e28094-wordpress.png?ssl=1) ### [Center your Schizowave (An interview w Joseph Matheny)](https://josephmatheny.com/2022/07/12/center-your-schizowave-an-interview-w-joesph-matheny/) --- [![Ong's Hat on TVTropes](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ong-s-hat-arg-tv-tropes-08-19-2025_08_54_am.png?resize=893%2C336&ssl=1)](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ARG/OngsHat) *Ong’s Hat on TVTropes* ### [Ong’s Hat on TVTropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ARG/OngsHat) --- [![Der vielleicht älteste Internet-Mythos überhaupt: Das Mysterium von Ong’s Hat](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/der-vielleicht-alteste-internet-mythos-uberhaupt-das-mysterium-von-ongs-hat-magazin-1e9.png?resize=1088%2C438&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/der-vielleicht-alteste-internet-mythos-uberhaupt-das-mysterium-von-ongs-hat-magazin-1e9.png?ssl=1) *Der vielleicht älteste Internet-Mythos überhaupt: Das Mysterium von Ong’s Hat* ### [Der vielleicht älteste Internet-Mythos überhaupt: Das Mysterium von Ong’s Hat](https://josephmatheny.com/2023/10/31/der-vielleicht-alteste-internet-mythos-uberhaupt-das-mysterium-von-ongs-hat/) --- [![Technikart 273 Digital Version](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/full_273-1000.jpg?resize=1000%2C1311&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/full_273-1000.jpg?ssl=1) *[Technikart 273 Digital Version French>English Translation + French Original](https://josephmatheny.com/2023/10/25/technikart-273-digital-version/)* ### [Technikart 273 Digital Version](https://josephmatheny.com/2023/10/25/technikart-273-digital-version/) --- [![Gizmodo-Ong’s Hat: The Early Internet Conspiracy Game That Got Too Real](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ezgif.com-webp-to-jpg-1.jpg?resize=1600%2C1263&ssl=1)](https://gizmodo.com/ongs-hat-the-early-internet-conspiracy-game-that-got-t-1832229488) *Gizmodo-Ong’s Hat: The Early Internet Conspiracy Game That Got Too Real* ### [Gizmodo-Ong’s Hat: The Early Internet Conspiracy Game That Got Too Real](https://gizmodo.com/ongs-hat-the-early-internet-conspiracy-game-that-got-t-1832229488) --- [![Alternate Reality Games | Ong’s Hat | Know Your Meme](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ongs-hat-illustration.jpg?resize=720%2C535&ssl=1)](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cultures/alternate-reality-games) *Alternate Reality Games | Ong’s Hat | Know Your Meme* ### [Alternate Reality Games | Ong’s Hat | Know Your Meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cultures/alternate-reality-games) --- [![The Rise Of The ARG: Games™ investigates alternate reality games and what the future has in store for the curious experiment](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/gamestmcover1.jpg?resize=1024%2C570&ssl=1)](https://josephmatheny.com/2013/05/16/the-rise-of-the-arg-games-investigates-alternate-reality-games-and-what-the-future-has-in-store-for-the-curious-experiment/) *The Rise Of The ARG: Games™ investigates alternate reality games and what the future has in store for the curious experiment* ### [The Rise Of The ARG: Games™ investigates alternate reality games and what the future has in store for the curious experiment](https://josephmatheny.com/2013/05/16/the-rise-of-the-arg-games-investigates-alternate-reality-games-and-what-the-future-has-in-store-for-the-curious-experiment/) --- [![This is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/tinag.jpg?resize=400%2C600&ssl=1)](https://josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tinagqua.pdf) *This is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming* [Excerpt here](https://josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tinagqua.pdf)[Download](https://josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tinagqua.pdf) --- [![Ong's Hat on Wikipedia](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ongs-hat-wikipedia.png?resize=1903%2C975&ssl=1)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ong%27s_Hat) *[Ong’s Hat on Wikipedi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ong%27s_Hat)a* ### [Ong’s Hat on Wikipedi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ong%27s_Hat)a --- [![](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/hs_9_cover-art-1024x1024-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/hs_9_cover-art-1024x1024-2.jpg?ssl=1) *ONG’S HAT and the construction of a suspicious model reader Jorge Flores* ### [ONG’S HAT and the construction of a suspicious model reader Jorge Flores](https://josephmatheny.com/2022/09/15/hortus-semioticus-9-2022-07-ongs-hat/) --- [![](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/dall_e-2024-12-15-12.31.36-a-surreal-and-atmospheric-artwork-depicting-the-legendary-ongs-hat-a-hidden-and-mysterious-location-in-the-pine-barrens-of-new-jersey.-the-image-fea.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1)](https://xammon.blogspot.com/2024/12/ongs-hat-beginning-cern-many-worlds.html) *Ong’s Hat: The Beginning: CERN, Many Worlds, MMORPGs (QAnon), ARGs “The Beast”, HALO and Artificial Intelligence* ### [Ong’s Hat: The Beginning: CERN, Many Worlds, MMORPGs (QAnon), ARGs “The Beast”, HALO and Artificial Intelligence](https://xammon.blogspot.com/2024/12/ongs-hat-beginning-cern-many-worlds.html) --- [![Legend Tripping Online](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/9781604739831.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/josephmatheny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/9781604739831.jpg?ssl=1) *Legend Tripping Online* ### [**The Surprising Online Life of Legends – Legend-Tripping Online: Supernatural Folklore and the Search for Ong’s Hat**](https://josephmatheny.com/2019/12/24/the-surprising-online-life-of-legends/)