There’s a Hidden Code in Intel’s New Graphics Card Teaser

Intel posted a cryptic teaser on Twitter this morning that seems to suggest the chipmaker is getting ready to release more details about its long-awaited gaming graphics card, the Xe HPG.

What that information is no one knows, but Intel has been dropping tiny crumbs about the Xe HPG for several months. Last August, Intel said its gaming GPU could ship sometime in 2021, and during its keynote at CES 2021, the company mentioned it had figured out a way to utilize both an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU at the same time.

Intel didn’t specify if this would be a feature just for its graphics cards and processors, or if it would be compatible with Nvidia and AMD cards, but it’s clearly something the company is working on. It’s possible we could hear more about the feature during an upcoming Intel webcast on March 23. Or maybe the reveal date will be March 26.

Why March 26? According to Wccftech, there’s a binary code in the video that, if translated properly, points to a hidden scavenger hunt website. “Welcome to the Xe HPG Scavenger Hunt” is displayed prominently in a small black box on the website. There’s a March 26, 9 a.m. PST “launch date,” and a note for people to come back on that day and enter their “secret code.” The code seems to have been cracked by a Twitter user.

There’s no other information about how to find that secret code. It’s possible it could be tied to the March 23 webcast, but doesn’t seem likely at this point. Like most scavenger hunts, there’s a series of hidden objects and puzzles to solve before you reveal the mystery at the end, or free yourself from the escape room; Gizmodo reached out to Intel for hints, but has yet to hear anything back.

Intel officially released its first Xe desktop GPU back in January. However, those are mainly for budget desktops, non-gaming ones at that, and most of the cards are included in pre-built PCs rather as a stand-alone, off-the-shelf item. The Xe HPG is supposed to be more of a mid-tier card and competitively priced in comparison to Nvidia and AMD.

So, Intel’s getting ready for something, but clearly it’s trying to create more of a mystery to drum up excitement. Consider us excited.