Direct > Direct: Sectors

SEASON 4 – “ASSIMILATION”

ELECTRONIC ARTS, Redwood City / EA GAMES / 2021

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Overview

Credits

OVERVIEW

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

During a routine game update, our developers “accidentally” left code for data miners to discover, sprinkling teasing clues inside the game about a new Legend, Forge. Fans extracted imagery of his key art and files indicating several powerful new abilities for the character.

Background

Apex Legends is a first person battle royale game, where players take on the role of various “legend” characters and play in squads to be the last team standing in a sci-fi island setting. Since launching in February 2019, Apex has expanded the world and its characters through new season launches.

Describe the creative idea

During a routine game update, developers “accidentally” left code for data miners to discover, sprinkling teasing clues inside the game about a new Legend, Forge. Fans extracted imagery of key art and files indicating powerful new abilities for the character. As it became apparent that Forge would be the new Legend for Season 4, he began to appear on our social channels, trash-talking favorite Legends as he prepared to enter the game.

The day of our reveal trailer arrived. Forge sat down for an interview to talk about himself and his abilities - but shockingly, the terrifying Revenant appeared and swiftly dispatched our imposter Legend. Online conversation exploded.

We then led players on a digital hunt across the world of Apex as they followed clues that were being reported on our social channels until it was time for the big reveal: an epic YouTube Premiere of Revenants Origin story.

Describe the strategy

During a routine game update, developers “accidentally” left code for data miners to discover, sprinkling teasing clues inside the game about a new Legend, Forge. Fans extracted imagery of key art and files indicating powerful new abilities for the character. As it became apparent that Forge would be the new Legend for Season 4, he began to appear on our social channels, trash-talking favorite Legends as he prepared to enter the game.

The day of our reveal trailer arrived. Forge sat down for an interview to talk about himself and his abilities - but shockingly, the terrifying Revenant appeared and swiftly dispatched our imposter Legend. Online conversation exploded.

We then led players on a digital hunt across the world of Apex as they followed clues that were being reported on our social channels until it was time for the big reveal: an epic YouTube Premiere of Revenants Origin story.

Describe the execution

We then led players on a digital hunt across the world of Apex as they followed clues that were being reported on our social channels until it was time for the big reveal: an epic YouTube Premiere of Revenants Origin story.

List the results

Outcome: 23.7M video views in first week

26.9M impressions in one week on Twitter

26.8K Average social post interactions

+308K new subscribers across social

138 UGC Videos

376 organic media articles

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