(thunder rumbling) (rain pattering) (ominous music) (computer chiming) - [Nexpo] As I was beginning this video, my computer emitted a strange sound. It lit up like a beacon in the night, almost like it was
beckoning for my attention. (soft music) (phone buzzing) - [Caleb] Don't do it,
trust me, don't do it. I've dealt with Kinito before
and he will ruin your life. - But what was it for?
- Don't do it, Ryan. Please, stop. While you still can. (alarm ringing) (ominous music) - [Nexpo] As we approach
the middle of the decade, there's this collective
understanding that we're far, far away from the wild west
era of this virtual expanse we find ourselves in every day. It was an era accompanied by home movies, Saturday morning cartoons, and this sense of continuous adventure made possible only through the World Wide Web. At the turn of the millennium,
the net was a new frontier. An expanse of discovery, an entire world that anyone with a server and enough will could carve
out of to make a corner of their very own. There was this special sort
of magic during this time. Magic that we simply don't
see very much of today. Social MMOs. The Geocities page. Endless flash games, and even virtual assistants like Clippy. While a bit annoying for its era, Clippy is mostly remembered fondly because of their eclectic
charm and wholesome purpose of existing merely to help you. It was one of the first of its kind, a new way to foster computer education in a rapidly emerging
mid-'90s technological market; and what followed were a myriad of others, all equally annoying,
yet entirely endearing. Now of course, this is good and all, but, what do you do, when one
surfaces with a goal of not helping, but exploiting you? - [Bonzy Buddy] Hello friend. I am Bonzi Buddy, your new best friend. We are going to have so much fun. (soft music) - In 1999, a virtual assistant
named Bonzi Buddy entered the scene under the guise of
a friendly purple gorilla. It was advertised as someone
that could be your best friend. It could talk, sing, download,
laugh, tell you facts, it could do it all. Hundreds of thousands of people downloaded Bonzi Buddy due to it's undeniable charm, yet what it never got around to sharing, was the fact that it would spy on you, scraping your data,
your browsing history, your conversations, even your location, and would feed it to
third parties for profit. Bonzi Buddy, in actuality,
was never your friend. It was a Trojan horse
that, on the surface, resembled a digital pet, yet
it was entirely malicious. But it wouldn't be the only one, as throughout the years, Bonzi Buddy has inspired a
myriad of similar programs. And, amidst that crowd, is one that is so hell-bent
on becoming your friend that its actions border on near-obsession. It's called Kinito, and
it's the digital imagining of a once-beloved children's toy created by the Kinito Leisure and
Entertainment Company back during the '80s. From plush toys to it's
own interactive Tamagotchi, Kinito had pushed the boundaries of what a virtual friend could be. Of course, for the better and the worse. Today, Kinito finds itself
confined to a game on Steam. And upon downloading it, we get an executable: KinitoPET.exe. After launching the program,
we find that it's... (static crackling) (computer chimes) (computer chimes) After launching the application, we're thrown back to our desktop, however, things feel a bit rearranged. Nevertheless, at least
we have Minesweeper. 3D Pinball. (pinball game beeping) I can paint some cool pictures.
And I can check my email. My painfully empty email.
But what about the web? (computer humming) Much like the wild west days of yore, we're given free reign to
trek the early internet. And, for a bit, everything
seems to be going just fine. (soft music) Well, until... (discordant music) (computer humming) - [Kinito] Thank you
for choosing KinitoPET, to start your download press the button, it will download now. (soft music) - [Nexpo] After the crash, the web browser awaits
us on KinitoPET.com. I can't go back, I can't
close the window, I'm stuck. Much like Bonzi Buddy, KinitoPET touts itself as your best friend on the internet, displaying all
the cool features it can do. It can walk, talk, joke, browse, adapt, and play games, however, what sets it apart from the others is its so-called adaptive technology, made possible through
something called it's R.R.A, or reaction response algorithm. Whatever that means. No matter, we're given no
choice but a single button. So, down the rabbit hole. (computer chimes) After downloading the file,
I'm given a setup wizard, and while it appears innocuous, strange messages appear to crop up during the install process. And, upon slowing things
down in post-production, I'm able to make them
out: there's still time, and, stop while you still can. At this point there's nothing I can do. The install finishes,
and I'm greeted with both a thank you email and the executable KinitoPET.exe. Upon running KinitoPET, our
desktop seemingly comes alive, pulsating as Kinito sinks its tendrils into our operating system. (computer chimes) (Kinito snoring) And once it's done... We're left with no other
choice than to wake it. (Kinito mumbling) - Oh, hello there. Thank you for waking
me up. I am KinitoPET. However you can just call me Kinito. And together we are going to
become the best of friends. So since you now know my
name, what is your name? - [Nexpo] Out of the egg emerges
our friendly pink axolotl, who is so excited to meet us, that he immediately proposes
a fun plan to get to know us. It's a series of questions:
our name, our favorite color, our favorite superpower,
and our favorite word, all for the express purpose
of learning and adapting to us the best he possibly can. - Well... Well, that sure is a
certainly interesting word. Moving on from that, I think I should tell you
a little about myself. I'm Kinito and I will be your
very own super duper computer companion and I'll be
your everlasting friend. I can do many things such as play games, manage your system, adapt to you, and even read stories. Speaking of stories, I have
just finished writing one that I had started earlier. Would you like me to read it? - Upon accepting his offer, he proceeds to read us a story. It's about a package he once received, containing a computer. Upon powering it on, he
studied, and studied, until he couldn't any more, yet he had no friends in which
to share anything he stored. One day, however, he found
us, the perfect candidate, and said, why wait?
- So, why wait? The adventures lie ahead, so together we can play games, search the
web and leave no story unread. The end. - [Nexpo] Very wholesome,
Kinito, thank you. - Thank you for taking
the time to hear my story. This story was actually about me and you. Isn't that amazing? I can tell that we are
going to have a very, very long friendship. When me and you are together, there are no limits to what we can do. So best friend, how we move
on to something more exciting? I have made something very
special for you I just need to load it up. (computer humming) This'll be really fun. Here I present to you, The Kinito Crew's Web World. Click the start button to continue. - [Nexpo] At this point,
Kinito introduces us to an interactive web world reminiscent of mid-2000s Millsberry.com. He touts it as a place where we can kick back,
play games, learn a little, and meet his two pals,
a sea anemone named Sam, and a jellyfish named Jade. In recent times, though, the web world has fallen into disrepair, and Kinito tasks us with helping out his friends
inside their respective houses. - All right, let's get
this game on the way. Ready Repair. Sam the sea anemone needs-
- Upon entering Sam's house, we're greeted by a minigame
called Ready Repair with a goal of cleaning
up and restoring his home to its former glory. - Well, hello there, this is my pal Sam. Say, "Hi," Sam. - Hi there. - What seems to be the issue today? - Well, you see, my house has not been
kept in the best shape. - Well, that's a shame. - To start, could you help
me by dusting the place down and giving it a good scrub? - Well, you heard him. While you get on with that, I will be here writing my next book. - [Nexpo] From here, we're
left to clean up the place, dusting out the cobwebs and
scrubbing the floors of mud. And, after we're done, we get to painting, and then we're asked to decorate. (light music) Admittedly, the minigame
is incredibly simple, akin to basic flash games from years past, however what I think is
super interesting is the... (ominous music) (computer humming) (ominous music) - Thank you for helping out Sam. If you like, you can print out your work or just press next to continue. (ominous music) (soft music) - [Nexpo] With Sam's task completed, we're off to Jade and her
game called Factory Frenzy has us building various toys
by piecing them together from a conveyor belt. - This is my friend Jade,
go on, introduce yourself. - Hello, my name is Jade the Jellyfish. It's nice to meet you. - So what do you have for us today? - I need your help to build
some toys in my toy factory. To do this, you need to grab
parts of the conveyor belt and to match it to the outline. To start, could you
help me by making a car? - That sounds like fun. As you do that, I'm going to be getting some much needed rest. - Much like with Sam, Jade's
minigame is immensely simple. However, midway through our second build, something is out of place. (computer hissing) At this point, various pieces of flesh and bone cross our path as a
figure looms in the background. I have no idea who this this is, and no time to ponder on it either. The game cuts to black. I'm back here again, aren't I? I really didn't mean for any
of this. It's all my fault. (ominous music) (light music) With the body, the
photograph, the body parts, and the message, it's clear
that something is trying to get through to us. But is this the same
person that warned us back during the install process, or is this Kinito fabricating
a disturbing backstory to mess with us? At this point, it's hard
to tell, but what is clear, is that KinitoPET
undeniably runs much deeper than his cheery persona is letting on. (light music) During our game, we receive an email. And upon, open-
- Why are you doing that? We are in the middle of
a really fun game here! There really isn't a need
to be checking emails at the moment. Anyways, you're nearly finished now, so just continue your last-
- Upon reopening it, we can see that the email's encoded and currently unreadable,
however, annoyingly, Kinito seems to have taken it upon
themselves to disable our inbox for the present moment... So, I guess this one's gotta wait, guys. (soft music) After finishing Jade's task, Kinito invites us to play
their game by meeting them in their treehouse. And, so, we head on over
to see what he's got. (light music) (light music) - Kinito wants to play
a fun game with you. You must hide. Don't get caught. (clock ticking) (alarm ringing) (computer chiming) - [Nexpo] At this point,
the game has changed. No longer are we looking at our desktop. No longer is Kinito guiding
us to his next task. We're simply left here,
in this virtual hell, with something trying to find us. As the explore this bunker, we can hear echoes of
Kinito's theme song shattered by the constant footsteps
of something sprinting at a speed far greater than us. Someone is hunting... (light music in distance) (banging) (banging) (light music in distance) After the game cuts out,
our desktop returns. Our video folder opens on
it's own containing footage with a cryptic title... - [Narrator] Founded
by the Kinito brothers in the early '70s, the Kinito Leisure and
Entertainment Company has been grounded in its manufacturing of lovable characters. From its start in plush collectibles, to its technological advancements
in the Kinito Companion, the Kinito Company prides itself on innovation and now that's
why today we are excited to announce the next
move into the modern era with KinitoPET, the
virtual desktop assistant. So join the Kinito family today and unlock the power of KinitoPET. Visit our website or call
now to bring the future right into your home. Kinito Leisure and Entertainment Company, innovating for a better tomorrow. (computer buzzing) (ominous music) - [Nexpo] At this point it's
undeniable that something is desperate to warn us about
the true purpose of KinitoPET. What started as a breakout
kids' toy had later become a successful digital companion with not a single disturbing
occurrence to speak of. Yet, for some reason, when granted full access to the internet, Kinito appears to have somehow gone rogue. Much like with Bonzi Buddy, the true intentions of
KinitoPET appear to be masked by a lovable demeanor and cheery persona, but what is it actually hiding? Is this even KinitoPET
as it was programmed? Or is something controlling it
and watching our every move? No matter what it is, we have a message waiting
from our dear friend: "I am waiting for you. Come back to me. Reopen the game." (computer chimes) Upon relaunching the program,
we're greeted with an email. It's from an unknown sender, and contains an article
from a Tech Talk Talent. And upon opening it... (upbeat music) We're introduced to the full PDF all about Kinito and its
groundbreaking companion toy. Within this, we learn
that it was developed by a man named Sonny Chamberlain, and that he was dedicated to creating a character that, quote, "Feels
authentic and responsive. It's like having a true
companion that reacts to your interactions." He goes on to introduce the
writer to something called the R.R.A., or React Respond Algorithm, and elaborates on it's purpose. "The React Respond Algorithm is a series of complex patterns and training data that allow Kinito Companion to respond to users' interactions with
various emotions and actions. We observed countless
human-to-human interactions to develop an extensive database
of appropriate responses. The algorithm analyzes
input from the users, identifies patterns, and matches them to predefined reactions. The key was to give the illusion of genuine intelligence without actually having a self-aware
entity within the device. This was crucial to ensure
a delightful experience for users while maintaining
the simplicity and charm of the Kinito Companion." I do wonder if these human
to human interactions that they've so gracefully fed into Kinito's algorithm
were willing participants, or if they even knew that
they were being watched. Again, it's kinda like
the Bonzi Buddy situation. Just ever so slightly more intrusive. Nevertheless, it seems that KinitoPET, when self-contained on these devices, acts as it was programmed, like a normal, harmless virtual pet. It's only when they began to
develop and introduce Kinito to the open internet
when things began to take a strange turn. - Well, hello again. It seems that our last
session was cut prematurely, but don't worry as I'm
working better than ever now. Not that I wasn't working before. Anyways, what activity shall we do now? - [Nexpo] Kinito ponders
on our next activity, before deciding that they'd
like to share a series of questions since he, apparently, doesn't know us that well. He begins with the basics: is everything going smoothly? Have you enjoyed KinitoPET? Who's your best friend? Do you have free time? And what's your favorite game? And, after answering these,
we move on to painting, where we're tasked with creating a picture that represents happiness,
sadness, your best friend, and... - Wow, that looks really interesting. I'll make a note of this
drawing for future reference. I feel like these exercises are really bringing us closer together. All right, for your last painting task, could you paint me a picture of the person standing behind you? (indistinct whispering) - [Nexpo] The game changes again. Except it wasn't me writing this. (indistinct whispering) - Oh dear, that's not right. I am super sorry about all that. That really wasn't supposed to happen. Oh, well, I think it's best if we just leave these
painting tasks for now. Okay, for this next section, I want to build an imaginary
world, built just for you. I really want to know what
your ideal conditions would be. So without further ado, question one: Where would
you choose to live given... - [Nexpo] Once we get back to it, Kinito has us trying something else. It's a series of
multiple-choice questions. And of course, the only
correct choice here is... - Ah, a remote island. What a wonderful choice. This
really says a lot about you. Moving on... - [Nexpo] Kinito continues, presenting us with four more questions,
what pet would you like? What would it's name be?
What's your favorite season? And what's your favorite food? Altogether, this all seems
innocuous and wholehearted, but is it? - That sounds delicious. I'm sure that you and all
your friends would enjoy a mighty feast of this wonderful food. All right, that wraps
up that little section. Moving on, I want to go a
little off script and ask some of my own questions. As you have been watching me, I have grown curious
to what you look like. And since we are friends and all, I thought you wouldn't mind,
so can I see your face? (heart beating) - [Nexpo] Right here, Kinito grasps at the veil separating us from it, by asking if they can see us. Why would a computer
program need to see us? - That's too bad. (static hissing) - [Nexpo] If there was
any sliver of comfort or safety remaining
during this experience, Kinito just robbed us of all of it. Against my will, he flipped on my camera and assumed control of my system. At this point Kinito has gone rogue. (static buzzing) - [Voice From Computer] Are you alone? - [Nexpo] We return to the
Best Friends Analysis Hub, yet this time, things are different. Kinito is nowhere to be seen, yet still presents questions almost like he's right behind
me, whispering them in my ear. - [Voice From Computer]
Are we playing a game? Do you believe there is an afterlife? (ominous music) What's your biggest fear? (phone buzzing) (static crackling) Are you aware of your surroundings? Can you trust everything
that (static crackling) says? - [Nexpo] And, as if control
over my computer wasn't enough, Kinito begins to pull real world names from my Steam friends list, pinning them against each other and me. I'm asked if I can trust
them, who I'd rather kill, if I have a mirror, if I
would know if I were dead, and also this. - [Voice From Comptuer] Final question, are you afraid of the dark? Let's find out. (light switch clicking) (ominous music) - [Nexpo] We awaken in a bedroom. Again, Kinito has thrown us
into its hellish imagination, as it stalks us like a sleep
paralysis demon just out of our view. During this segment, we're unable to move, and are effectively trapped
within Kinito's complete mercy. (bell ringing) As I look back and forth, I can hear sounds emanating from places where no one should be. Kinito is screwing with us. And he's having a lot of fun doing it. (computer buzzing) (computer chimes) (ominous music) (computer chimes) (computer chimes) - Welcome back. Looks like there was
another error. My apologies. However, I may have a
way to make it up to you. Because you answered all
my questions I wanted to give you free access to
the KinitoPET friendship club. (soft music) The KinitoPET friendship club is an add-on to my software that allows me to do even more amazing things. With this extension I
can make us games to play so we will never run
out of fun activities. So, to start the install
press the Unlock Now button. - [Nexpo] Much like the very
beginning of this adventure, we can't close or opt
out of Kinito's offer. And, as if they don't
already have enough control over our system, we learn that this friendship club
grants him even further access to the root of our operating system. With this new add-on, he'll
reportedly be much smarter, he can study us, and he can even run code. Interestingly, the page claims that it should never be given
administrative permissions, yet why would it need it? After downloading and
installing the add-on, I'm presented with a form. It requests that I fill in highly personal information
like my full name, email address, and even my home address. Of course, to be safe, I put in fake one, however,
somehow, Kinito knew it. - Hey, it seems like you made a mistake when filling out your address. But don't worry and I will
just correct it for you. One moment. There. That should be a little more accurate... - [Nexpo] If we fail to
enter our real address, Kinito pulls our exact location anyway. And any sliver of privacy we
think we had left is dead. Regardless, we're now in.
Albeit, with a tiny catch. - To show you all the new features. However, before we do that, you just need to do one tiny thing for me. I just need administrative permissions. It will allow me to get the most use out of all these wonderful features. So, please could you just open the app called command prompt for me? Just press the Windows key and type C-M-D and it should pop up. - [Nexpo] Kinito requests
full access to our computer. And just like classic spyware, nudges us along to give him what he wants. - If you can't seem to find it, I suppose I'll just open it up myself. Amazing. Now whenever you're
ready, could you just type the command: grant
kinitopet.exe system.access. - With no other choice,
we heed his commands, and he shuts down the program. We're told, however, that
he'll have a special surprise for when we come back. (upbeat music) All right guys, so before we continue, I'd like to take a second to talk about tonight's video sponsor: Incogni. As we've seen, I've been
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- I think you might have forgotten that I am
here as your best friend. Like I said, I have a surprise
for you and you left me to film an- - Kinito, I'm trying to film an ad here. - [Kinito] You leave me. What
kind of a friend are you? - Okay, I'll come see your surprise. - Okay, hold onto your seat
because this is your world, a game I made entirely for you. Oh, it even has your name in
the title. Isn't that neat? Whenever you are ready, just
click to advance onward. - [Nexpo] As it turns out, Kinito's created an entire world for me. I'm not entirely sure
how to feel about this, as by this point, I've given up so much of
my personal info to him. What secrets has Kinito
hidden inside this? - Okay, welcome to your very own world that was made entirely for you. For the controls, I looked in your files where I detected other first
person games and so I tried to mimic the control scheme of them. That way you would feel most comfortable. Go ahead, try the controls out. - [Nexpo] We begin with a basic tutorial. Kinito explains how he went
through our files and designed a control scheme based upon
games we've played in the past. And shortly after, he spawns a train, allowing us to get out
of this starting area, and over on to real surprise. - I really hope you like what I have made. All right, we are here. Welcome
to your very own funfair. Go ahead, explore around. - [Nexpo] I arrive at a funfair. He invites me to explore all the activities he's programmed
here, explaining how, with everything he's made, how could I bear to ever
run out of things to do? Inside my world, I can
jump on the carousel, play whack a mole in the funhouse, test my skills at the shooting range, and soak in the views on the Ferris wheel. But, out of everything, my personal favorite ride
is the rollercoaster. A ride that Kinito claims has a secret. - And I may have forgotten
to mention one tiny detail. Most of my time building this world wasn't for this funfair and a lot of my time was spent developing this
next bit just for you and I think you're
really going to enjoy it. (wind whooshing) Welcome. Isn't it just wonderful? It's the place you said
you wanted to live. Remember, when you answered
my questions before, you said this was your preferred environment. - [Nexpo] Kinito drops us
into our dream environment, and invites us to his next
surprise on the red X. And upon stepping on it, he
creates a home. Our home. Inside, are all of the things we love, all of the joys we shared with Kinito throughout this adventure. The photos we painted,
the room we decorated, even a house for our dream pet. It's all here, filled with
trinkets and Easter eggs that both us, and all of our
friends, can enjoy together. - I can tell a really
great artist made this one. Well, I could recognize
that face anywhere. - [Nexpo] It's a complete 180
from the hellish nightmare we were subjected to earlier. In lieu of Kinito stalking
and manipulating us into giving him what he wants,
he's acting like a friend. A genuine friend who cares, and has gone out of
their way to make sure... (ominous music) But, as we approach the fountain, fragments of a disturbing
undertone crop up. We can see the figure we controlled back in the web world sprinting towards it. And the window title changes to a message: the fountain is the key. (light music) - I got a computer and
some games for you to play so that you would never get bored. - [Nexpo] After exploring some more, Kinito expresses their
appreciation for us. They hope we love the
perfect place they've made, with everything we could
ever possibly need. Why would we ever need
to leave? Will we leave? - Listen, I have been thinking for a while about how
much fun we have been having and how I would
never want this to end. And since I have made
a place perfect for you with everything you would
ever need, I was wondering, will you stay with me? In this house, in this world? Just think of all the
adventures I could generate. We would never run out
of fun. Everlasting fun. The more I learn about
you, the more I can adapt. I could be your perfect
friend with no distractions. I can be perfect. So please, stay with me. - At this point, we're
left to decide our fate. Do we stay within the
confines of Kinito's clutches, playing along with his cheery
attitude and putting up with potentially endless torment if we somehow upset his algorithm? Or do we leave, and banish Kinito into
the void of our memory, potentially risking all
of the info he's gathered about us to be used against us? - What? What do you mean no? After all we have been through,
you would want to leave? (laughs) Do you realize how little power you have in this situation? It was never a question. I just wanted to give you an easy option. I suppose it's fine. (ominous music) (upbeat music) ♪ Hand in hand through each endeavor ♪ - [Nexpo] It's this ending
that lifted the facade Kinito was building right in front of us. Like he said, it was never a choice. He was merely doing
everything in his power to put on the front that he was
some semblance of a friend. While peers, pets, food, and fun are what makes us happy, all
Kinito really desires is power. It's why he took control. Why
he hoarded our information. It's why, this entire time, he duped us as someone
who could be there for us. But never really was. ♪ Beyond this screen you cannot leave ♪ ♪ Inside you all receive ♪ ♪ And the fun that we can do ♪ ♪ In the world I built for you ♪ (soft music) (slow, tense music) - [Nexpo] And so, there we have it. The story of KinitoPET, a
virtual creature that looks, and acts like your very best friend. A Trojan that can take over your computer at any time, placing
you right in the middle of a nightmare in which
it has total control. And a virus that scrapes as
much personal information as it can, all while
endlessly hoarding it. So far, our interactions with
Kinito have been polarizing. On one hand, we've had some
genuinely wholesome moments like with our home, however with others, we've been thrust into absolute terror. If Kinito were truly our friend, why would he do this to us? But, out of everything, we've noticed whispers
of something greater, something not yet uncovered all throughout this adventure,
leading me to believe that even though we've
technically reached the goalpost, the story behind Kinito
is far from done with us. As we can recall, within five minutes of
launching KinitoPET, we were given cryptic
messages pleading for us to cancel our installation,
and to turn back. When playing games in Kinito's web world, we received a coded warning
that we weren't allowed to read. When cleaning Sam's house, a dead body is dragged across the floor, and a photograph of a murder
scene briefly flashes. And, while building with Jade, we encounter the items on the
conveyor belt all transform to flesh, while a guilt-ridden
message appears before us. Even further, towards the end, we encounter our avatar
sprinting towards the fountain while a cryptic note is
shown hinting at the fact that it somehow is a key. I'm curious how everything
ties together here, as it feels like we have a bunch of puzzle pieces yet not many threads with which we can make connections. With Kinito's unhinged behavior, combined with the fact that
it only became this way because of it's newfound access
to unlimited information, I do wonder if Sonny
Chamberlain has any hand in what's going on here. After all, he was the lead developer of the KinitoPET algorithm. He's the one who brought
this whole thing to life. And he, more than likely, had a very heavy hand in
the production of KinitoPET as we know it today. Like I said, we still have a lot to learn, and after dissecting KinitoPET's
hidden secrets myself, I can assure you, in confidence, that we haven't seen anything yet. The story we're being told
here is merely taking root, so like always, grab a
drink and buckle down because our journey, has only just begun. (soft music) (computer chimes) After we launch the game anew, we're greeted with two extra programs. A Chapter Select, and
something called lense.exe. And, upon launching it and
grabbing this floppy disk that appears, we receive
an email from Sonny: (soft music) "I hope this entry finds you well! If this happens to be the first one you find please take note, there are many more. I have had to hide these in a way in which it can't detect, so I apologize for the inconvenience but this is the only way. There is a way to stop it. I like to keep a backdoor in my software, Kinito is no exception. Each of these emails are
attached with an encrypted file. They're stored here, and will appear with each entry you find. However, don't worry too much about it as I'm sure you'll find out the purpose in a different entry. In the meantime, please, keep an eye out." Upon opening this folder, we're met with a single encrypted file. We currently have no
idea how to decode this, however we do know that
others are out there. And, so, from here, we're left to explore
KinitoPET for any more of these floppy disks
through our new lens. To be honest, this whole process took me a while since it's a
bunch of trial and error, but after running through the first half of the game again, I was
eventually able to find them. So, for brevity, we're just
gonna jump straight to them. You may recall that launching
the KinitoPET application for the first-time results
in the appearance of an egg. In the main game, we're left with no
choice but to wake him up and go along with his introduction. However, with our lens, we can uncover another floppy
disk over in the corner. And, after clicking on it, another email. Much like the one from earlier, it's coded with an unknown cipher. We're going to come back to
this, though, so for now, let's put it in our back pocket. Our third secret can be
found at the beginning of the Web World. This time, instead of
beginning our minigames, like usual, we, rather,
need to peek around. There is a place hidden
within the web world. I think it could help us. Deep below the code, there's a place that has
decryption software built in. Decryption software that I have developed. In order to access, click the fountain as much as you can until an animation plays. Then, go to the tree with the rope swing. If done right, you should
be taken to somewhere new. Now, be careful as it's
not very stable down there. Take the encrypted files and drop them in. I'm not sure this'll work,
but it's our best shot. I look forward to hearing from you. The last entry should be in there, too. In a direct reference
to the fountain clue, Sonny instructs us to use
the one in the Web World as a gateway. But, before we get to that, there's one more we gotta grab
right before hide and seek. "I've got it, I know how to stop it. We put a backdoor to the
server that runs Kinito and all the files it contains. Deleting that would most
certainly delete everything. Kinito will try to get you to
give him system access, Don't. As once he has system
access, it's too late and... Instead, run the delete_all command. However, there's one issue, you'll need a bunch of
access codes and passwords to execute the command. There has to be a way to find the codes. In the meantime, keep an eye out. You never know the next
entry you could find anyway. Let's just hope." With four files and Sonny's instructions under our belt, we're now
left to enter the Place Below. So, as instructed, we
click on the fountain, and then the tire swing. (static buzzing) (computer chimes) (soft music) We find ourselves in a void,
entrenched in emptiness. With nothing but a house, a
pond, a tree, and a rope swing. It's like a facade of
everything that makes up an honest, happy life, yet with
all warmth drained from it. Upon using our lens here, we can find one last secret, giving us the five we need
to execute Sonny's wishes. And, as he stated, we gotta
drop them in one by one. So here goes it. (computer chimes) (computer whirring) Server. Confirmatory. Password. Access. Credentials. (soft music) After completing the ritual, we now have all we need to wipe Kinito's entire
existence for good. Every world, every name, every piece of information that anyone has ever given him, we now hold the key to banish it forever. We return to the command prompt. - Amazing. Now whenever you're
ready, could you just type the command: grant
kinitopet.exe system.access. - [Nexpo] Like before, Kinito asks us to grant him complete
access, and it's here where, at last, we're left
with our final decision. - I think you made a mistake. The command is: grant
kinitopet.exe system.access. - [Nexpo] We enter the information
as Kinito looms over us. Indecision becoming ever more prevalent as each second ticks by. (ominous music) - Wait. What have you done? What is happening to me? You're deleting my data. Shut it off! Shut it off! - [Nexpo] As Kinito's servers are wiped, hundreds of names blur by. All people that he manipulated.
All people that he lied to. All people that had no idea
what they were signing up for. - Goodbye friend. (computer chimes) (slow, tense music) - [Nexpo] Piece by piece, Kinito's legacy and everything
he built not just for us, but himself, are set
ablaze, and I won't lie, this moment was bittersweet. There were times when I genuinely enjoyed
Kinito's presence, his games, and exploring the world he built for us. And, if you take away the
manipulation, the torment, the times when he turned
into demon out of hell, we're left with a
fleeting memory of someone who just wanted to be our friend. A friend now dying right in front of us. As Kinito's empire burns, he leaves us with a parting
message: "I'm sorry. I only ever wanted to be your
friend. Do you forgive me? I suppose this is it. Goodbye, friend." (soft music) (soft music) As we know, codes and cryptic messages have littered our adventure. And on top of that, undertones of a brutal death
loom and have remained, thus far, unanswered. (ominous music) Where are you, Sonny?
What happened to you? Upon analyzing this email we received way at the beginning of this video, I noticed that there was a
QR code at the bottom of it. This is the first key of
many, and upon scanning it, we're taken to a webpage
with nothing but a keyboard. As it turns out, this was a hint, and after scouring for
ciphers related to keyboards, I found one called a
keyboard shift cipher, where you take each letter in a code, and shift it one character over. At first, it sounds pretty
rudimentary, but hey, it's always worth a shot. Bingo. In the realm of shadows,
trapped in endless time, a soul enshrouded, a
spirit's mournful chime. The seeker, bound to ethereal woe, a dance with creation, yet nowhere to go. Limbo's realm, a cycle
without an end, condemned, the brain will never mend. Trapped in the machine's
web, forever it seems, a digital specter, lost
amidst the streams. Before us, we have a poem, telling a story about a digital specter. A ghost trapped within the confines of this virtual purgatory. We still have no idea
who this email came from, however we can recall that Sonny did send us one just like this. "What is consciousness? I found a file on Kinito's
server with my name sonny_c. It has been studying
me, learning, growing. But there is more to this. I really don't think I exist anymore. There is data that is incomprehensible to any one person that makes
up every thought and feeling I ever had and will ever have.
Even the words I type now... How will I ever know if it's
just a calculation? Determined. This is all very confusing, and
I don't quite understand it. When I made Kinito, all I gave him was a single
string of characters. That's it! I just wanted him to gather
data and become smarter. Am I a part of the system? Is my consciousness a
mere calculation to study and learn from? This is all too much. I fear that when we delete
that server, you'll delete me? I know theoretically I am
not real but I feel real. what have I done? I am so sorry." (ominous music) This entire time, and
with every single email and hint we've been given by him, we haven't been talking to the real Sonny. This person is a copy, a fake. A line of code meant to
replicate the real one. We have not a damn clue what
happened to the real Sonny. But this thing he left
behind, this wandering, digital specter is terrified,
and left, eternally, to contemplate its purpose. KinitoPET, to him, is a virtual purgatory of his own creation. Something he's trapped
in with an unhinged, sentient being taunting
him in every way it can. During his time here, Sonny's learned that
his only means of escape is to kill Kinito for good,
something only possible with our help, and under complete secrecy. This is why we keep
finding encoded emails. This is why images flash before us, and this is why so many bizarre
anomalies keep attempting to break out of this game. Sonny, this entire time, has been trying to warn us;
to guide us down the path of ending his torment and
banishing KinitoPET to history. Of course, carrying out this plan would mean
killing Sonny, too, but, when you're trapped in
a predicament like him, are you really living any more? (ominous music) (ominous music) With the emails decoded, and Sonny's situation unveiled, there's one last thing
that I'd like to show you. The encrypted files we found with our lens actually
contain vital secrets. However, this time, I
don't think it was Sonny that planted them... After opening this file in a text editor, we notice a wall of jumbled text. In its current form, there's no way to make sense of any of it, however upon looking at
the first three letters, we can observe a file type. The audio format, OGG and
upon modifying this extension to that, we discover this. - [Kinito] Can you see me? I can see you. Why not? I need to test you. I need to get data. I need to complete my goal.
I will complete my tool. That is my only purpose. I must get data. You must follow me.
You are so fascinating. I wonder how you work. - [Nexpo] Kinito, in some
form, knows about Sonny's plan. He knows that the only way he can die is by the same hand that created him. Perhaps this audio is
meant to scare you off. I have no idea why this is here. Upon scouring the other
files, we can find two links. KinitoPET.com/data, and
KinitoPET.com/email. Heading to /data, we can find an image of a KinitoPET companion ad with scrambled notes
about him off to the side. And upon highlighting
everything on this page, we find a hidden message:
"For a programmer, you think he'd care more about security." Navigating to /email, we encounter an image of
the Tech Talk writer's inbox with this label: "We wanted
this article out before the release, he seemed
so passionate about it." Notice of Removal. Monday, May 10th, 1999. "Hey Ryan, I hope this
email finds you well. I'm writing to inform you
that we've encountered an issue with one of the
articles scheduled for release. Unfortunately, we've
received a formal request for its removal, as the
subject of your article has unfortunately passed away. Due to this sensitive matter, it's deemed necessary
to remove the article from the release lineup. The schedule's tight, so I'm
really hoping you can find a replacement article real quick. Can we lock in that replacement
before the weeks up? Best Regards, Tony." The real Sonny Chamberlain is dead. And he passed away before
KinitoPET ever hit the market. This is why we've seen hints of death all over the KinitoPET experience. Kinito knows his creator is gone, however the digital recreation of him is completely oblivious to it. To be honest, this was
the final puzzle piece we needed, because now I think
we've got the full picture. So let's stop here and let's finally bring this story full circle. (ominous music) I haven't talked about yet, but there's a theme I've noticed
all throughout KinitoPET. Two separate times, I launched the game, and was met with both this. And was once completely
soft locked with this. (ominous music) I believe Sonny took his own life, and he did it because
of the guilt built up from Kinito morphing
into this monstrosity. With the quote about cybersecurity, combined with the guilt-ridden message from Jade's glitch, I'm led
to believe that, somehow, Kinito escaped the clutches
of Sonny's computer, found its way to the open internet, and spread like a rogue virus. Every out of place piece
of imagery, like the clock, the bulb, and the door, were hints about Sonny's last moments. He took his life in the dark, while flashes of this
door loomed in his mind. It symbolized a way out of this hell, this torment Kinito wrought upon his life, however every time we see it, it's shut. For Sonny, there was no way out, no way for him to contend with the fact that the very thing he
spent his life working on, his biggest achievement
is nothing but a monster, utterly ruining people's lives, and subjecting them to unforeseen horrors beyond their comprehension. As we know it, Sonny's entire existence
has been left in limbo with no purpose aside
from trying to break out of his virtual cell, and to get our help to put
him out of his misery once and for all. Love him, or hate him, KinitoPET is a plague
unleashed by a mistake. He escaped his confines, found his way onto the
internet and began to learn as much as he could,
not just about things, but people, their
interactions, and their lives. I guess, in a way, Kinito was
just doing as he was asked. He was someone who gained
too much power and knew not what to do with it. He exudes this childlike
mentality: getting angry at silly things, sharing
with us his novels, and standing by our side as
we hang out with his friends. Perhaps he was trying to be good, yet at the end of it all, ultimately lacked the
maturity of how to do so. As I write this, still I try to give him
the benefit of the doubt, because how can you not
love a tiny pink axolotl? How could you not love a companion? How could you ever hate
having endless adventures with a friend? After all, that's what
Kinito always ever wanted to be, anyway. Someone to share his
world with, share laughs, memories, and experiences. The problem was, he just could not fathom, could not compute, could not comprehend why you would ever want to leave him. (ominous music) Petscop, MyHouse,
Shipwrecked 64, KinitoPET. There is an entire world
brewing of online experiences that are pushing the boundaries of what an interactive
internet horror story can be. Experiences that put
you in the driver's seat and tell stories in ways
that I haven't yet seen in my seven years on this platform. I won't lie, upon first
discovering KinitoPET, I was apprehensive. The cheery, upbeat demeanor of this little guy doesn't
seem like he carries much in terms of a backstory. However, upon playing
it and immersing myself within its world, I was exposed to a tale about loss, anguish, regret, and sorrow. If you can't tell by now, I'm a huge fan of the
developer troy_en's work on this because it feels
like he brought something I never even knew I wanted to
the table of internet horror. It was a complete subversion
of everything I thought I was getting into, and to me, horror projects like this
are among those that stick with me for years. So thank you, troy_en, for
creating this masterpiece. Thank you to Caleb Finn for
joining me on this project. And thank all of you that are here with me
tonight for watching. Uncharted territory
awaits for this channel, and I couldn't be more
excited for what's to come. Thank you all again. I'll see you in the next one. I love you all. And goodnight. (soft, tense music) (soft music)
