Evony: The King’s Return is a strategy game that allows you to choose generals from different eras. You build resources, form alliances and create empires over time. It goes beyond pure action. The manifestation of this action-packed world came to life in an episodic series of spots creating a rich battlefield of characters and backstory. The videos highlight the historic backstories of our heroes, who represent their various regions and cultures: George Washington, played by Aaron Eckhart; King Arthur, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan; and Empress Wu, played by Fan Bingbing.

After initially launching it as a desktop game, the company faced the challenge of introducing the mobile version to a predominantly male target. This strategy game allows players to choose famous generals from across history and pit them against other players or build alliances on the same virtual battlefield. This intersection of ages and cultures sets it apart from games in the genre, and was used as the basis of the campaign. With an all-star cast, we created a global campaign that connected with our core audience in various regions. After airing the Evony campaign, the app rose to the number five spot in the Apple App Store.

“Being given the opportunity to pit historical figures against each other in a vast world is a hugely exhilarating and creatively rewarding experience,” says the director. “The world allowed me to shine a cinematic lens on both character and location, from battlefields to birthplaces, mountain tops to medieval villages. It brought all the areas I love to explore – character, performance, cinematic visuals, storytelling, tension, mood and intrigue – together.”