This law of diminishing returns doesn't really apply in the world of videogames, where successive editions of a title serve to expand the mythology of the universe created for the game and each version aims to provide a bigger and better experience than its predecessor.
The same was true for the Fable series, a role-playing fantasy game set in the world of Albion. Players have to explore this land that is reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings universe of quests, magic and sword fighting. The first edition of Fable was launched in 2004, and was a critical and commercial success. With the launch of Fable 3 on Xbox 360 the game wanted to make the third release in the franchise the biggest yet.
This could only be achieved by retaining the faithful Fable audience while at the same time simultaneously bringing in new players who had not been enticed by previous marketing efforts.
The key campaign insight was grounded in a particular group of Fable's audience, the 'core gamers'. This group is defined by its dedication to all things gaming. For them, videogames are more an obsession, than a simple past time. Core gamers are extremely vocal online and socialise online in cohesive peer groups. As a consequence of meeting others via years of online play, their social networks typically include like-minded gamers.
The biggest selling games are those that are universally acclaimed in these social networks and gaming forums, such as the Halo, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty series. In the gaming category, the achievement of positive peer buzz in the games community is a priority goal.
If it was to be successful, Fable 3 needed to generate and harness the excitement of a new addition to the Fable series.
Outside the core gaming audience, there was also the challenge of engagement with the wider audience of gamers who had not yet entered the world of Fable without alienating or boring the existing fans. The answer lies in one of the central Fable themes: rebellion. Fable 3 would attempt to start a revolution. Existing Fable fans and key core gamer advocates would be used to spread the Fable 3 message.
The resulting idea was Fable 3: Kingmaker. This multiplayer game was a mobile edition of Fable that could be played on iPhone or Android handsets. Kingmaker used the phone's GPS functionality and pitted players in a real world battle for the land of 'Europa'. Two competing factions, the Royals and the Rebels had to fight for control over seven European states: Marianna (France), Teutonien (Germany), Stivalia (Italy), Nederrijck (Holland), Hispania (Spain), Svitjod (Sweden), and Britannia (Britian).
The game itself was a combination of location services like Foursquare and the strategy board game Risk. Kingmaker provided an involved, interactive challenge for participants; creating an epic real world revolution that took place in full view of the wider gaming community.
For the revolution to catch on it was important that existing Fable fans embraced and engaged with Kingmaker. To that end, players that had collected 'gold' in Kingmaker were able to transfer it to their adventures in the Xbox edition of Fable, blurring the physical, mobile and console worlds.
Players could earn more gold by enabling Twitter and Facebook notifications, telling friends and followers of daily Kingmaker conquests and helping to spread the revolutionary Fable message.
Scrolling 'ticker tape' web banners provided real-time battle results, similar in style to the CNN infobar. These banners were hosted on gaming blogs. Personalised print ads incorporated within subscriber editions of gaming magazines and dynamic homepage takeovers altered core gamer websites, depending on whether a visitor identified themselves as a Royalist or Rebel.
Localised retail partnerships were put in place allowing Kingmaker gold to be redeemed in-store.
More than 100 000 players earned more than 5 billion gold coins for Fable 3.
The app maintained 70% active engagement for two months post launch. Benchmark statistics indicate only 5% of apps are used 20 days post download (Source: CNET).
Kingmaker delivered 20 million social media impressions. 600 articles appeared in gaming media. Earned media value was more than five times total program cost.
Fable 3 went straight to the top of the gaming charts, selling more Xbox copies than same-day-released Star Wars and WWE games combined.
Sales were up 100% compared to Fable 2 first week sales. (Source: Microsoft Game Studios)
Xbox plan to repeat the Kingmaker model for future game releases.
Why is this on Cream? Creating a game to promote a game might seem strange, but by integrating social platforms and GPS functionality, this turned a mere mobile extension into a powerful mobile game-based strategy. (Incidentally, the Rebels won.)
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