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Games with a Day Job: Putting the Power of Games to Work Ericsson Ground Zero: An Integral Game To demonstrate what I mean when I say "the message is the game," I will take one of Houdini's latest productions, Ericsson Ground Zero, as an example. In Ground Zero, the player uses an Ericsson mobile telephone loaded with mobile Internet tools to compete in a futuristic citywide scavenger hunt. With only their phone to help them they must follow three clues to learn the secret location of Ground Zero.
Ericsson's goals for the production were to show off their new Mobile Positioning technology (which allows the mobile telephone to know where it is at all times, enabling a number of cool applications) and profile the Ericsson brand as visionary and leading-edge. The gameplay was designed to be relatively quick and simple, partly because it was to be delivered via the Internet and therefore needed to be small and partly because the target experience time was 10-15 minutes. But Ground Zero is a fun game in its own right at the same time as it is tightly integrated with Ericsson's products and messages.
The game looks so utterly different from the type of communication people normally expect from a technology company like Ericsson, it cannot help but attract attention. And in this case it is not merely a piece of candy. By playing a round of Ground Zero the average user will learn more about how Mobile Positioning technologies work than they are likely to do by reading a dozen articles on the subject, because here they actually get to give them a try. Since the experience is so tightly interwoven with the company's products, the excitement of playing the game sticks to Ericsson's brand rather than disappearing into thin air.
The result is a highly effective marketing experience and a fulfillment of the vision that games can also make good communications tools. Who Cares? So what? Who cares if some company sells more or less stuff? Games should be pure experiences without crass commercial ambitions, you say? Well, for one thing, nearly all games are commercial in one way or another, so let's just put that fantasy to rest right there. Either you pay with hard-earned money, or you pay with attention, but one way or another you almost always pay to play. Still, why should you care if games make effective communications tools? If you are a marketer the issue is clear. Since it is increasingly tough to get your message across through traditional channels, smartly crafted marketing games offer a distinct competitive advantage.
If you are a developer or are otherwise enamored of games, the matter is more philosophical. Integral marketing games demonstrate that games are more flexible, multifaceted, and powerful than many otherwise might give them credit for being. If games become more widely accepted as useful tools as well as great toys, this is a good thing for all of us. By taking the time to consider and discuss other game applications besides pure entertainment, we might even have a hand in promoting this trend. Discuss this article in Gamasutra's discussion forum ________________________________________________________
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