Wanted: Weapons Of Fate

One of the greatest challenges of handling a movie-licensed game is the strict deadline of releasing it alongside the silver screen source material. As tight as video game developing can be, the pressure of working to Hollywood’s schedule is arguably one of the toughest tests the industry faces.

Some games forego this trend and release when they are ready. Warner Bros is preparing to unleash one such example in the form of Wanted: Weapons Of Fate, based on the 2008 action blockbuster.

However, rather than merely producing a straightforward adaptation of the movie’s shenanigans, Weapons Of Fate actually serves as a direct sequel, picking up the story a few hours after the film’s climax.

The game holds true to the both the film and the original graphic novel’s core themes and concepts. Players take on the role of Wesley Gibson and his father Cross (played once more by Thomas Kretschmann), two super-powered assassins waging war against a secret fraternity of killers.

On the game’s various missions, players must use abilities such as curving bullets and focusing their adrenaline to slow down time in order to gain an edge in combat. Only by chaining these together and making effective use of cover will they become unstoppable.

“The main feature revolves around the cover system,” says Warner’s UK marketing manager Phil Lamb. “You are rewarded with improvements to your reaction speed and agility when you chain cover points to stump and flank your assailants.

“You can even curve bullets around corners, and a perfect kill shot will follow the bullet’s trajectory from gun to target in glorious slow motion.”

SHARP SHOOTERS
Given that both the film and DVD release have long since passed, Warner is pulling out all the stops to raise awareness of the brand for Wanted: Weapons Of Fate. Firstly, the publisher has employed a volume deal with Bauer publishing to run DPS advertorials in film and men’s lifestyle publications, such as FHM, Zoo and Empire.

“These outline how Weapons Of Fate is an expansion of the franchise rather than a ‘film game’ per se by focusing on how this is the next chapter in the Wanted story along with features on the characters, the surreal action and over-the-top kill moves,” explains Lamb.

This partnership also extends online, with banners running across Bauer’s male lifestyle sites and driving users to the game’s microsite. There they can find game info, trailers, screens and a competition to will a TV, PS3 and an ‘Assassin’ weekend for up to four friends.

Elsewhere online, pre-roll trailers will be run across a variety of video-on-demand sites, targeting males aged 18 to 34 that are film and comic fans. Rich media advertising will also appear across numerous other key website.

Other media partnerships include a deal with Vice, which will include ads and features centred around the game. Vice will also support a microsite, with banners and pre-roll trailers in its own VoD section.

As part of this deal, Warner will be holding an exclusive consumer and tastemaker event in central London to promote the game.

The public will be treated to alive show from the band UNKLE, who has remixed the main theme tune from the movie, as well as sets from other greats DJs and performers.

There will also be a chance to sample the game for themsleves and take away some exclusive merchandise.
Finally, a two-week TV campaign will appear on Sky Sports, Setanta, E4, Dave, Bravo, Sky Movies, Fiver and TMF.

A second TV promotions campaign is already supporting this, with three different creatives running for four weeks from March 23rd.

“Retailers shouldn’t expect your average ‘film game’,” says Lamb. “This is a solid extension of the whole Wanted franchise, a brand new chapter building on the story laid down in the original comic and the film.

“Also, this has a quality development team behind it in the form of Grin who have applied some really unique gaming mechanics and features.”