Entry: Titanfall Video Wall Experience at the Microsoft Stores

Client: Microsoft Corporation

Submitted by: Synect Media

Titanfall Video Wall Experience at the Microsoft Stores from Synect Media on Vimeo.

Venue(s) where the content was displayed:

Microsoft’s retail store lets customers experience and buy software, devices & hardware, direct from Microsoft, both in retail stores and online. The stores are the source for the hottest new technology and best in personalized service. Visitors can test-drive, play with and explore Windows 8 PCs, Windows Phone, Xbox and Kinect. The store’s interactive environment makes shopping for technology easy and fun.

Each 60+ full-line Microsoft Store features a massive video wall, and there are many smaller configurations of screens in Microsoft’s digital signage network. Content for the network is created at 57,600 x 1080—or 30 times the size of an HD movie. It is then adapted to match over 40 unique store layouts and various screen configurations.

Objectives of the content:

Titanfall was 2014’s most anticipated video game title, and the first-person shooter from Respawn Entertainment won over 60 awards at its E3 reveal. An exclusive release for Windows and Xbox built on the Azure cloud platform, Titanfall was also poised to be a game changer for Microsoft.

A series of midnight launches were planned for the company’s retail stores, where customers could experience and play the game on the store’s massive video walls—and buy it bundled with other Microsoft products and services. Microsoft needed to deliver an immersive experience promoting the Titanfall midnight launch—and deliver it across 60+ video walls.

Budget category (content creation only): More than $10,000

Results of the content:

Microsoft partnered with Synect Media to promote Titanfall with high-impact video wall content. The resolution of the wall required custom assets, which Synect modeled and animated in 3D. Action sequences mirrored gameplay in over 10 minutes of content for Microsoft’s unique network. A dynamic countdown displayed for weeks before the release.

The effect was a visceral immersion into the game that greatly increased launch-time awareness. Over 400 gigs of data were generated in production, with the results setting new standards for Microsoft’s in-store marketing. “Titans were falling from skies; people were playing games in interactive zones of the video wall. They were immersed in a Titanfall experience,”

Microsoft Store’s Creative Director, Florin Gale, said. “The entire store, and the video wall specifically, was absolutely Titanfall,” Fans were captivated, and almost a million copies sold in March. Titanfall went on to become the number one game in March and April, according to NPD.

Selected judges' comments:

• This has the "Wow" effect.
• Very cool. Concept and execution, both solid.   
• Great use of the space. The content was engaging, the countdown added to the anticipation of fans and drew attention to those who didn’t know about the game.
• This is an example of product launch done right in digital signage. Nice work.