Solution

While the quality of Ready or Not was not in doubt among those in the know, it was pegged in its early access phase as a niche title with a steep learning curve. 

We needed to smash those preconceptions to help the game breakout and reach a mass audience. 

To achieve that goal our campaign response majored on:

• Building excitement about the 1.0 launch among key opinion leaders who could influence mainstream FPS fans.

• A media blitz and viral stunts that could reach casual “hit-buying” gamers looking out for the “next big thing.”

• Surgical targeting of gamers with pre-exposure to the game’s beta version - analysis showed this segment was most likely to engage. 

Go big

Branded content deals with endemic publishing partners elicited a slew of fantastic coverage from influencers and journalists who generated buzz among mainstream FPS players. 

Meanwhile, we grabbed the casual audience’s attention by blending real life with virtual reality at the glitzy Game Awards in LA. We turned the US Bank Tower into a monument to SWAT by superimposing a giant-sized helmet and body armor onto the building using CGI. Live reactions from pre-positioned actors completed the effect, creating superb impact footage for social media.

Simultaneously, we dominated the real-world space around the show with our takeover of the world’s biggest digital billboard at The Reef. While our mobile patrol vehicles controlled the streets, displaying on-brand Wanted posters for the game. 

The IRL activations were backed by a full video plan that targeted all of our in-market segments with tailored messaging across YouTube and Twitch plus other relevant social channels before, during, and after the game’s launch, hot on the heels of the show.