EE Launches First Game Day with Mixed Reality Treasure Hunt Across the UK

EE, the UK’s largest subscription business, today announces the launch of its first Game Day this Sunday 5th November, an annual celebration of gaming culture with deals and savings to be had on the latest consoles, games and accessories. Launched with a nationwide mixed reality treasure hunt that turns Leeds centre into a huge AR experience, Game Day, the latest step in EE’s ambition to become the number one destination for gaming, will see gaming fans across the country work together to unlock clues and locate prizes worth up to a value of £1,000.

Brits will be invited to participate in an epic, virtual-meets-physical game experience that sees thirteen EE Game Chests hidden in secret locations across London, Leeds, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The chests contain an array of the latest gaming gear up to a value of £1,000, from consoles and games to the most popular gaming accessories and tech. The day begins with a spectacular mixed reality gaming stunt performed in Leeds’ iconic Millennium Square, featuring an array of gaming characters.

Four of the UK’s top gaming streamers Lewis Brindley, Pedguin, Geestar Games and BrionyKay will kickstart the treasure hunt live on Twitch this Sunday by logging on and triggering the countdown timer. As the timer reaches zero, the page will switch to a broadcast of Leeds City and its iconic Millennium Square, within which viewers will see a plinth with a button and the words “Press to add more Game.” Once this button is pressed it will initiate a burst of choreographed performances from actors, each bringing their own mini storylines that intertwine and play out before the viewers, ending with the button-presser receiving an EE Chest full of game-themed prizes. Additionally, with the help of a giant augmented reality, fire breathing dragon the message "EE Game Day, Your new destination for gaming, for every player on any network" is revealed. 

As the broadcast ends, our four streamers – supported by the viewers – will play a custom-made online game. During the three-hour long session, the streamers will be challenged to navigate a custom-made, fantasy role playing game (RPG) experience. The gaming public will be able to interact with the streamers as they travel through the online adventure via Twitch’s chat function and help them unlock a map revealing the locations of the EE Game Chests across the country. Together, the fans and the streamers will team up to complete a puzzle, unlock the passwords and discover the coordinates for each of the chests.

Once the coordinates are unveiled, gamers up and down the country will race against time to reach the chests and claim their contents. In a final twist, those first to arrive at the destination will discover they are protected by different gaming characters, who will request the password before giving up the treasure. Players who can’t make the challenge in-person will have the chance to battle it out online for three digital chests during the livestream.

For anyone disappointed not to get their hands on a chest, all participants will be awarded a discount code for the EE Game Store – the go-to destination for gamers, open for all. There will also be deals and offers on the latest consoles, games and accessories launching that day on the EE Game Store.

EE Game Day follows the launch of new EE, which revealed the four key focus areas for the brand as game, home, learn and work, as well as a suite of exciting products and services open to all UK consumers which have been developed to improve customers’ everyday lives in these areas, all underpinned by UK market leading products EE 5G and EE Full Fibre.

Pete Jeavons, marketing communications director at EE, commented, "We are thrilled to launch our inaugural Game Day with a mixed reality gaming treasure hunt, bringing the excitement of video games to life for players all around the country. Open to everyone across the nation, its the next step in our journey to becoming the UK’s number one destination for gaming. New EE is committed to providing our customers with the best gaming experience."

The game concept has been created and built with Havas Play, which has been EE’s brand experience & partnerships agency for nearly twenty years.

The work has been produced by Emmy-Award-winning creative studio, Nexus Studios.

Lucy Basden-Smith, managing partner, Havas Play, said, “This is an experience for gamers delivered by gamers. It’s big, ambitious and filled with intrigue. Better yet, we’re helping further cement EE’s credibility with gamers, and inviting everyone to unlock their gamer within. We want the gaming community to come away knowing that EE’s got them covered for all their needs - whether a customer or not. It’s been a long-time in the making, so we’re super excited for the clock to strike 12pm on Sunday.”

The mixed reality stunt content has been directed by Nexus Studios’ directors Shynola famed for award-winning work with Abba Voyage, Coldplay, Netflix and Billie Eilish. Media has been handled by EssenceMediacom, OOH creative has been handled by Saatchi & Saatchi and brand experience agency Swamp Motel handled casting, choreography and costume.

EE is also partnering with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) for this year’s Game Day, gifting a Game Chest full of gaming goodies to the hospital and promoting a fundraiser during the livestream for a world-leading new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). An important area of focus for GOSH Charity, gaming can help to provide an escape for children and young people spending long periods of time in hospital receiving treatment, and is one of the activities facilitated by the hospital’s Play team, which is fully funded by the charity.