Inside Flamed: Scopely’s in-house creative agency

• Flamed is Scopely’s in-house creative agency and is now home to hundreds of artists, designers and storytellers in Barcelona.
• The team helps to create trailers, ads and in-game assets for games like Monopoly GO!, Stumble Guys, Star Trek Fleet Command and Marvel Strike Force.
• Emerging technologies such as AI are also enabling Flamed to create more personalised campaigns at scale.

Scopely’s Barcelona hub is home to one of the company’s largest growth drivers, Flamed, an in-house creative agency that consists of more than 100 artists, designers and storytellers.

Since its launch in 2018, Flamed has been behind various standout campaigns for franchises such as Monopoly Go!, Stumble Guys, Star Trek Fleet Command and Marvel Strike Force.

The agency was born out of Scopely’s Barcelona hub, which has expanded recently into a new tech campus employing more than 700 people. The hub also serves as the global headquarters for Playgami, Scopley’s proprietary technology platform, and reflects the company’s position as Spain’s largest video game employer. 

PocketGamer.biz spoke with Naor Itzhak, vice president of creative at Flamed, to discuss how the agency model works, what it brings to Scopely and where game marketing is heading next. 

Building an in-house creative hub

“Flamed is a team of hundreds of artists, designers and creators, primarily based in Scopely’s thriving hub in Barcelona. In fact, the name Flamed comes from a FLAvour of the MEDiterraneon,” explains Itzhak.

The Flamed team is embedded directly into the development of Scopely’s portfolio, producing trailers, social content, ads and in-game creatives that feel aligned with each title’s core identity. Itzhak tells us that this is to ensure that every piece of content the team makes feels authentic and aligns with the overall voice, identity and vision of both the game and the company as a whole. 

One of Flamed’s biggest tasks is to translate the essence of each game into campaigns that resonate globally while still connecting locally. 

“Our goal is to make our games instantly appealing to a potential player, especially in those first moments when someone encounters it,” says Itzhak. “We start by diving deep into the heart of the game to capture its themed, emotional core, and what makes it truly special. From there, we translate those elements into a universally relatable narrative that connects with audiences everywhere.” 

To help make those campaigns feel relevant across different regions, the team partners with local experts and relies on data. “We collaborate with local experts across geographies to ensure our creative resonates in different markets and we also leverage data to guide us while keeping our global message consistent,” he adds. 

Why the in-house model matters

Itzhak tells us that operating as an in-house agency gives Scopely certain advantages, one being the freedom to move quickly and collaborate across Scopely’s entire ecosystem.

He goes on to explain that a level of deep integration allows the team to shorten feedback loops, act quickly and maintain a clearer and strategic vision for the creatives produced.

“Because we’re part of and understand the Scopely portfolio, we also have a strong grasp of the key KPIs, ensuring our creative ideas align with both product development and marketing goals.”

When we ask about an example where Flamed’s work has driven measurable impact, Itzhak highlights the Monopoly GO! Star Wars crossover. 

“It’s tough to choose just one, but our Monopoly Go! Star Wars integration stands out as a great example of a creative campaign making a real impact. For that collaboration, we produced a full suite of assets, including cinematic trailers, high-performing ads and community content, designed specifically for our passionate Monopoly Go! Players.

“What really made the campaign special was the personal touch. It felt like a fully immersive event that captured the essence of both beloved universes, offering players a unique and memorable in-game experience that drove a significant boost in engagement.”

Staying ahead in a crowded market

Marketing trends are forever shifting and players expect campaigns that feel more personalised. Itzhak tells us that at Scopley, the goal is to foster deep relationships with the player and create experiences that feel made for them. 

Emerging technologies, especially AI, are something that Itzhak touches on, stating that AI-powered creative tools are unlocking new creative possibilities at scale that the team has never experienced before. 

“Our teams are excited to explore how new technologies can expand their creative capabilities, helping us to generate more diverse, dynamic and personalised content that speaks directly to individual players. We see this as the beginning of a new era where creativity becomes even more adaptive and player-centric than ever before.”

With competition in the games industry only intensifying, Itzhak states that in a crowded and constantly evolving market, standing out is more important than ever and that one of the core cultural tenets at Scopely is to iterate to greatness. 

“This means we’re always experimenting, learning, and bringing new ideas to life. We actively embrace fresh storytelling techniques and engineering technologies, which help us to stay ahead of the curve and ensure we’re continuously delivering innovative, engaging content.”

What’s next for Flamed

Looking ahead, Itzhak points to two big priorities for Flamed.

“There are two major areas we’re really excited about for the future of Flamed. Deepening our role as a creative partner across the company, and unlocking new creative potential with AI,” he says. 

By expanding its role across marketing, performance, and game-making teams, Flamed aims to strengthen Scopely’s brand storytelling. At the same time, AI is opening up new opportunities.

“By streamlining some of the more routine tasks we see great potential across Flamed for AI to free us up to focus on the most important, complex and creative challenges. This shift opens up incredible possibilities that we’re only beginning to imagine. It’s an exciting road ahead.”