In 2020, we collaborated with CD PROJEKT RED to develop a series of AR experiences designed to immerse fans in the lead up to the hotly anticipated AAA title, ‘Cyberpunk 2077’.
We were tasked to push the latest technical innovations across social and web AR, merging the game world with reality to create authentic real world narratives for players around the globe.Of course, the pandemic meant that it was even more crucial that the experiences were accessible online by anyone, anywhere.
On July 3rd 2020, subscribers woke up to Game Informer’s first ever interactive magazine cover. A futuristic experience direct in the mail! The AR enabled cover featured a QR code that, when scanned, allowed subscribers to dive into exclusive Cyberpunk 2077 artwork via an AR filter that worked on both Facebook and Instagram.
Users could interact by simply moving their device around the artwork, making a complex experience delightfully simple while encouraging full exploration of the scene.Fans responded with overwhelming positivity, sharing videos and posts of the experience across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit.
To enhance the game cover, we created a social AR experience for Instagram and Facebook, that made the game box feel like it was a scannable object from the game. Mimicking gameplay, users unlocked content by pressing and holding on the object, revealing a cinematic payoff.The effect was launched via a QR code on select boxes, or directly from Instagram. A custom microsite, seeded ahead of time, revealed a countdown to the launch to build anticipation and hype.
We went all out on details, creating a rich and immersive experience that pushed the limitations of social AR. As far as we are aware, this was the world’s first AR enabled game cover, and definitely the first to be transported 57 years from the future!
GAME INFORMER MAGAZINE TAKEOVER
On the day the issue was delivered to subscribers, the cover received almost 75,000 scans, with many readers eagerly sharing the AR cover across socials including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit. The best examples were featured on Game Informer's Instagram, seeding the experience out to the wider community.
CYBERPUNK 2077 - AR GAME COVER
On launch the game cover saw just under a quarter of a million opens, with around one third of users capturing content. The effect was seen over one million times in its first two weeks.