It's definitely some kind of ARG. I love Reddit when it pulls stuff like this. I actually tried to set one up once but no big subreddit would partner with me on the project.
ARG means alternative reality game, and an alternative reality game is when a fictional world is incorporated into the real world, usually on forums and websites similar to Reddit. The users basically are tasked with deciphering codes and letters and pictures in order to learn more about the story, and then sometimes it turns out to be a publicity stunt for movies and video games.