As tends to be the case with way too many high-profile Netflix originals, the fate of Alice in Borderland has remained entirely up in the air since its second run of episodes premiered all the way back in December of last year.
Since then, fans have been patiently waiting to discover whether or not the live-action manga adaptation will be back for more, although the all-conquering success of One Piece has at least made it clear the company is prepared to go all-in on the medium should it find instant success.
Having debuted on the Top 10 in 87 countries last time out, it would be fair to say Alice in Borderland has ticked that box, but it’s a viral marketing campaign that could yet hold the key to its future. As noted on social media, posters featuring the Netflix logo and a strategically-placed set of playing cards have begun popping up in Tokyo subways, leading sleuths to decode a hidden message purportedly located within.
One such self-appointed investigator has deduced that the sneaky code spells out ALICE THREE, which presumably points in the direction of a season 3 renewal being made official sooner rather than later.
On the other side of the coin, it could be completely wide of the mark and 100 percent wrong, but the importance of playing cards to the story and Netflix’s refusal to outright confirm or deny if Alice in Borderland had been killed off or carried on lends no small amount of weight to the theorizing.