It’s been a busy year for multimedia cross-promotional campaigns, with many high profile IP from outside the games industry realising the worth of appearing within it. From mobile games becoming animated series to toy series launching in Roblox, it seems that games featured in every big media plan in some form or another through 2023.
The latest worlds to collide are cinema and mobile (in what's becoming a trend), with Warner Bros. Pictures and Zynga partnering to introduce Wonka characters and movie promo into the much-loved Words With Friends 2.
Chocs-promotion
After a world premiere in November, Wonka officially opened in cinemas last week in the UK and has a US launch set for this Friday, December 15. And in a promotional move akin to Barbie this summer, a mobile gaming partnership has been forged to leverage the many mobile eyes on Words With Friends 2 and get them looking up at the big screen soon.
Right now, players can expect to find exclusive challenges, limited rewards and movie-related content in Words With Friends 2, with the reveal showcasing language like "hoverchoc" as playable on the board.
Players can even compete with Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka himself, with an unlockable Wonka-themed frame as the reward for beating him twice.
The Zynga and Warner Bros. partnership promises to bring crossovers between Wonka and other mobile titles too, though which other games may be included remain a mystery for now.
"Zynga is excited to continue our ten-year history of successful collaboration with Warner Bros. by bringing the world of Wonka to players in Words With Friends and other titles across our portfolio," said Zynga executive vice president of games Yaron Leyvand.
"We’re always looking for new ways to bring engaging experiences to our players, and inviting our community to interact with one of the world’s most beloved characters is a perfect golden ticket holiday surprise.”
Warner Bros. Pictures EVP of worldwide digital marketing Cameron Curtis added: "Wonka is one of the most highly anticipated movies this holiday season. By combining it with Zynga and four of their games, including Words With Friends - an evergreen cultural sensation that has connected millions of players for over a decade - we are creating unique opportunities for engagement that unite gaming and film fans across the big screen and mobile devices."
As part of the Barbie movie’s cross-promotional campaign, Mattel and Scopely partnered to introduce the titular protagonist into the hugely successful battle royale Stumble Guys. Given the movie’s overall success, and now with Wonka employing a similar strategy, one has to wonder if such campaigns are setting a precedent for 2024.
