Establishing KILLZONE First Person Shooter (FPS). Obstacles: FPS games are niche, appealing to hardcore gamers, narrowing sales potential. To achieve sales goals we needed to attract casual gamers. Existing FPS gaming fatigue (inferior competitive products early to market). Christmas deluge (competitor ‘Halo’ spending 5x KILLZONE budget)

8,000+ online postings, sales first 3 weeks despite poor game reviews. We definitely won over casual gamers as continued sales (6 months on), cinema and category firsts. Never before has a computer game been showcased in cinema.

Invitations were posted within the hardcores' online-world. Limited access drove privilege status for the event, driving pre-event viral hype. A PlayStation welcome, unseen footage (especially cut for the night in movie style trailer), a pre-recorded personalised message from Ray Postma from Amsterdam (KILLZONE developer)- all never done before!!! After exposing them to KILLZONE we screened a preview of "Resident Evil 2", a movie in the same genre and tone of KILLZONE, and to the taste of our hardcores.

Cinema was the perfect carrier for this intense, cinematic experience/event. Premium association via limited access, BIG screen and BIG sound. First-hand discovery and special privileges drove the ownership factor for hardcores, making a memorable impression and showcasing KILLZONE'S best features. In support, we prompted hardcores to start talking – with specially designed creative teasers announcing KILLZONE’s arrival on buses, TV and cinema. The experience turned our hardcore target into our communication vehicle - giving them reasons to start talking!

Generating positive word of mouth from hardcore gamers would accelerate sales and encourage casual gamers to buy. Needed to connect one-on-one with hardcores to make them the KILLZONE communication army. To engage with hardcore gamers we delivered the ultimate KILLZONE experience first hand, away from their 'closed online network' (web forums/blogs/gaming chatter), free from influencers (they are non-receptive to traditional We created a VIP experience event in cinemas: big screen experience (sound/vision); unseen game footage; face-to-face with their 'god', KILLZONE developer live from Amsterdam; first hand inside information; special privileges.