GTA V: What Is KIFFLOM?

Viral marketing has kicked off for Rockstar's latest GTA game.

By Laura Kate /

Oh goodie, it's viral marketing campaign time again. This time the game in question is GTA V and the first hints at the game's content come in the form of this website for the Epsilon Program. What you see above is the twelve Tenets of Kifflom, a fictional religion which we can only assume is a fairly important part of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto game's story along with being the face of the viral marketing campaign set to build anticipation for the games release. A parody of religious cults, the site contains several pages of beliefs, a religious text called the TRACT which has yet to be written but can be read by those willing to read it (and send money to a fictitious Cayman Islands headquarters), and a full set of testimonials which can be read below.
A unique American religion - expensive, promiscuous and entirely meaningless!!! Testimonials - "The Epsilon Tract helped me give up smack" - Jezz Torrent "Kifflom changed my life. I used to have a well paid job, a family and good prospects. Now, I've given that up to find real meaning in wearing light blue and proclaiming my real religion. Kifflom!' - Jonas Ackerman, Blueberry, San Andreas "Much better than Inversion Therapy. My mother sleeps much easier now that I've joined the fellowship. Kifflom!" - Jeremy Smith, San Fierro "Religion never worked for me, until now!" - Brian Van Ginsberg, Carcer City "I was lost. Luckily, I now go to regular meeetings of a cult group and give them lots of money, so everything is okay." - Jane Pole, Ohio "At first, I was nervous about giving up my identity and sleeping with all of those men, but I really enjoy it now." - Mary Fortune, Liberty City "Cris Formage is a genius. It's a religion without homework!" - Morgan August, Los Santos, San Andreas.
It is apparently very easy to join Kifflom, all you have to do is €œtravel through the dawn to the pass pictured in our brochures. Look for a red truck with a dent on the right fender. Raise your left hand and recite the words: "Take me to to my father-father, brother-uncle. Kifflom." We'll do the rest. Because we all know, there is Kifflom and there is Krant, and both be praised. Blindfold required.€ This is not the first time the GTA series has referenced KIFFLOM. GTA San Andreas contained backpackers who would ask you if you were interested in finding a new religion, and who discussed the name KIFFLOM. Curious gamers went searching online for information and found a website for the Epsilon Program, near identical to the one currently online. Is this just a remnant from that viral campaign? Is this Rockstar's way of signalling the return of the cult? It is difficult to tell at this stage, but we will keep you updated once we learn more. The mysterious religion also has a twitter account, http://twitter.com/EpsilonismToday, which has so far seen three tweets, ominously reminiscent of cult scripture. At this stage it is unclear how this relates to GTA V, but I am sure that over time we will start to see more information trickle through and be able to get a clearer picture of where this viral campaign is heading. What do you think? How do you think this relates to GTA V? Do you think this is related to the Kifflom myth in GTA San Andreas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.