An interactive edition Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine is offering innovative, unrivaled access to the hotly anticipated Gears of War 3.
Scattered throughout Issue 77 (available on September 2nd) of the magazine are seven digital watermarks, marked with the instantly recognisable Gears of War ‘Cog Tag’, which can be scanned using the Digital Space app for smartphones. Each digital watermark leads the reader to one of seven different Gears of War 3 videos, including an exclusive interview with the developer Epic Games.
Jon Hicks, Editor of Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine says: “Gears of War 3 is a hugely important release for us and our readers. Using this technology we can show them new game footage straight from the pages of the magazine, and give them direct access to the developer.”
This innovative use of mobile technology engages gamers, involving them in the campaign leading up to Gears of War 3’s release on September 20th.
Developed in partner with Future, Microsoft, and UM London, the special-interest media group, the interactive magazine further bolsters Future’s burgeoning reputation as a digital publisher, with an award-winning portfolio of websites, over 100 digital editions of its magazines and huge growth in video content.
Simon Maxwell, Group Publisher of Future’s Games portfolio, says: “We love working with UM London as they constantly challenge us to come up with the most imaginative, engaging and exciting solutions for their clients.
“There is a real collaborative approach between the creative and planning teams from UM London and Future. This approach has enabled us to create truly unique executions which ensure their clients’ campaigns stand out from the crowd.”
Adds Stephen McGill, Director of Xbox and Entertainment for Microsoft’s Retail Sales and Marketing Division, UK:
“This is a great fit for Xbox 360 and demonstrates another innovative way to engage with gamers in our campaign towards the launch of the biggest console exclusive of 2011 .”
This is an interesting approach to combine print with digital. This not only gives gamers incentive to purchase the Xbox magazine, but will also increase hype for Gears of War 3.
