Picture: Netflix
Black Mirror season 7 is just around the corner, but the entertainment has already begun. We’ve been looking for some ARG (augmented reality games) for the new season, and so far, we haven’t been disappointed. Here’s what we’ve found and/or stumbled upon so far.
For those unaware, ARGs are alternative reality games. They’re often used in media to hype releases and send fans on wild goose chases. The OG Cloverfield ARG was particularly good, and the one leading up to Portal 2 was equally excellent.
The first one came through my inbox this morning. I initially thought it was spam, but it comes from TCKR Systems, the company behind the little grey device that’s been in Black Mirror since the early seasons.
If you navigate to the website from the leaked confidential/internal email, you get taken to a Frame.io share link (a sharing service like Dropbox but for teams). That grants you access to three video files in various sizes that advertise “THE NUBBIN” device (we’ve embedded that video below). The device is expected to feature in at least three episodes of Black Mirror season 7, including Eulogy, Hotel Reverie, and the USS Callister sequel, USS Callister: Into Infinity.
There are more clues, though! The website is real, as is the LinkedIn referenced in the footer and TikTok page. They’re also advertising an in-person “product trial” that takes you to a Google Form. That trial is scheduled to take place on April 8th. On LinkedIn, they’ve got a post that advertises the NUBBIN device:
“Goodbye reality. Hello Nubbin.
For decades, technology has brought users closer to alternate realities — through glass, through headsets, always at arm’s length.
That distance ends now.
Introducing Nubbin, a neural implant designed to seamlessly integrate with human cognition.
Supercharged with the new Gen9 Processor, Nubbin delivers 7x more synaptic connections per millisecond, enabling simulation faster than reality itself.
With Nubbin, users can:
-Explore forgotten memories
-Play the most immersive games ever known
-Revisit old loves
-Explore endless galaxiesVirtual consciousness through Nubbin unlocks brighter colors, clearer audio, and enhanced texture feel — beyond the limits of average human senses.
Get the life you deserve with Nubbin.
New worlds await.”
Black Mirror Season 7 is Launching A Mobile App…
The second Easter egg we’ve spotted so far comes from the new season trailer. If you pause at the 1:20 mark, you’ll notice a QR code. If you scan it, you’re taken to either the Android App Store or the Apple App Store, which advertises a new app called TCK96 that you can pre-register for your device so it downloads once it’s live. This is almost certainly related to the Bandersnatch follow-up episode, Plaything. What exactly the app is for is unclear, with the pictures and description being vague.
According to the application description, TCK96 is a disc that contains company paperwork (most likely Tuckersoft), as well as a password-protected copy of an unreleased piece of software. It looks like players will have to unravel all the secrets of this organization. [3/3] pic.twitter.com/UtIARktvya
— Black Mirror News (@BlackMirrorTV) April 2, 2025
Here’s the description for the new app:
“>>> NEVER SEEN BEFORE
– Experience “experimental software” from 1996.
– Leaked to a fan forum back in mid-late 2000s but pulled down. (By who???)
– Recovered local copy from a forum mod’s laptop I was able to get at a (literal) fire sale. (Sorry about his house tho.)
– TCK96 disc features mostly company paperwork, but also a password-protected copy of an unreleased piece of software.
– Working to bundle with an emulator, and a 2007 interview where the leak is addressed.
– IYKYK>>> MORE INFO
Recovered from a recently rediscovered internal backup disc leaked in the 2000s. Seems this was a higher up’s own personal ‘high pri’ backup disc? Cancellation memos etc. included though redacted. Must have been juicy if you redact documentation on your own backup??
Need to get the emulator/software stable before all features can be listed. Shocking they didn’t release it though, extremely advanced AI for its era.
KEYWORDS
* Simulation
* Retro
* Experimental Software
* Emulator>>> LOOKING FOR LOCAL COPIES OF THE CONNECTED R. RETROSPECTIVE!!
I have an old VHS of the TV doc and it’s degraded to the point I could only pull a few clips. From the interview, it seems pretty revealing?? Pls post clips on reddit if you have any. I have an alert set up.
Pre-order to be the first to see this piece of British digital history!
— SEO stuff so the right kind of people find this:
Black Mirror
Netflix Games
NETFLIX MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED
Weird software
Retro
Virtual pet
Tuckersoft
Emulator
Radical reclamation
GR0NTH strikes again— GR0NTH
**** Cannot guarantee TCK96 app will run as expected on all devices. Emulator is independently developed. GR0NTH is an anon burner dedicated to archival and restoration efforts of digital ephemera and history. Copyright sucks: back up your stuff ****”
Who is GR0NTH? I suspect we’ll get to find out soon enough…
How to Watch Black Mirror Season 7 Early…
You still have a couple of opportunities to watch the new season of Black Mirror slightly early. For most, the best way will be to RSVP to Netflix TUDUM’s Black Mirror Experience: A Virtual Watch Party, which is taking place on April 8th, at 9:30 a.m. PST, 12:30 p.m. EST, and 5:30 p.m. BST. That includes a rewatch of USS Callister, a Q&A session, plus a sneak peek at the new season. That’s being hosted by Streamberry, Black Mirror’s fictional version of Netflix that was first introduced last season.
For those in London, there’s also the in-person event hosted by Streamberry and TCKR Systems, although that’s shrouded in mystery – register here. Another event is also taking place in London on April 9th, which serves as the premiere of Hotel Reverie, but that’s now sold out (thankfully, we’ve snagged some tickets!).
Hat tip to Black Mirror TV on Telegram and X for the assist here!
We’ll have way more coverage on Black Mirror season 7, including lots of analysis as and when the new episodes drop. Until then, are you excited for Black Mirror season 7? Let us know in the comments down below.
Rating: TV-MA
