CASE STUDY: UBIWORLD.COM
As a major publisher of tween-targeted video games, Ubisoft needed a more effective way to organize their titles and drive greater cross-title demand among its young target. Rather than recreate the standard boring and flat video game company website, WDDG invented UbiWorld – an immersive virtual world which gives home to all 35 of Ubisoft's tween-targeted titles and 19 original mini-games.
Built on top of a custom, WDDG-made content management system, the virtual world is designed to spur and reward exploration. Visitors can create and customize avatars and their own houses, ride a scooter around each of the four islands, learn about new video games, play mini-games, and view, download or purchase creations from DS games.
Avatar Creation and House Customization – As part of the registration process, users create and customize their UbiWorld avatar and house. Options are seemingly endless! With avatar assets and house items numbering in the hundreds, users can create something truly personal and reflective of their interests.
Exploring UbiWorld – Spread across four islands – each housing DS game titles, mini-games and other houses and stores to explore – the depth and interactivity of the site is wide-ranging and truly immersive. Riding a scooter across the islands, users are rewarded for their exploration as they discover mini-games, stores with options to customize their avatar and house, and information on Ubisoft's tween-targeted titles.
Mini-Games – With 19 mini-games, ranging from puzzles to dress-up games scattered across the four islands, there's a game for every tween. These mini-games are huge drivers of time spent on the site, and games are continuously added to keep visitors coming back.
Giving Homes to the Game Titles – While other video game publisher websites deliver flat, corporate-feeling pages for their titles, UbiWorld offers a virtual house for each title, replete with an animated guide, title information, opportunities to add the title to user wish lists, and link in-game and on-site activities.
Using a technologically-advanced program interface, UbiWorld is now linked to many of Ubisoft's games for the Nintendo DS. Players can create items in games to be viewed, downloaded or even purchased through UbiWorld. And, items created by users on the website can now appear in their games!
UbiWorld received wide notice and acclaim since its launch in late 2009, quickly winning a silver 2010 MI6 "Best Website for a Product – Casual Game" award. All with good reason, analytics show 700,000 monthly unique visitors averaging 16 minute sessions!
Plans are in place to expand the game-to-web connectivity features, making UbiWorld only more engaging and crucial to the Ubisoft tween portfolio.
Plans are in place to expand the game-to-web connectivity features, making UbiWorld only more engaging and crucial to the Ubisoft tween portfolio.
Project:
Client:
Ubisoft
Services:
Concept, Design, Illustration, Animation, IA, Programming, Minigames, Custom Content Management System, Search Engine Optimization, Maintenance
Awards:
- MI6 Silver Award for Most Clickable Website for a Product – Casual Gaming