The starting point of our intuition is the fact that videogames are more and more realistic. Settings draw inspiration from existing places, bringing the physical world with its scenery and landscapes into the game. However, reality is not reflected in full as some issues related to today’s world are left out.
Out in real life, problems are on a different scale. Earth is suffering for global warming and sea level is rising as a consequence. Pacific Islands are in jeopardy: the risk of being swallowed up by the ocean in the next years is extremely high.
And here comes Warzone. Our challenge is to bring climate crisis into the videogame, raising awareness among young players. We want it to be heard by people both in and outside the game, turning Warzone into the most celebrated entertainment brand.
The execution starts with the launch of a fake news campaign as a teaser on Earth Day. Newspaper, TV reports and celebrities talk about the first Pacific Island bound to disappear due to rising seas. Its name is Caldera, not a real place but Warzone new map.
Actually, typing Caldera in Google Maps means being thrown in the game, where you can explore the map with street view and see what’s happening in the game. Here, an OOH campaign is set up with messages which press visitors to action.
Meanwhile in the real game and just for Earth Day, sea level around Caldera rises as the match unfolds. Just like Earth, game is on the clock. The timer in the game refers to the climate clock in Manhattan, representing the years, days, hours and minutes until Earth’s deadline. At the end of the match Caldera vanishes under the ocean, revealing the aim of the campaign.