Samsung has launched the Galaxy S24 Ultra Arcade, a new world of Samsung experiences developed in Fortnite Creative.
The Ultra Arcade houses three new games and brand storytelling, including the opportunity to take a selfie with brand ambassador and Chelsea FC Premier League footballer Raheem Sterling.
The campaign teaser achieved over 3m organic views on TikTok. All three games went live in Fortnite Creative on February 12th 2024 and have delivered over 200,000 map plays in two weeks, with one of the maps being selected for ‘Epic Picks’ by the Fortnite publisher.
The games have been developed in partnership with gaming influencers and their communities. Aimsey, The Yogscast, and Jelly and Slogo acted as creative directors – engaging their communities to crowd-source game design decisions live via Twitch, YouTube and Instagram. Their communities also got a preview of the gameplay before launch.
Aimsey, a popular Twitch streamer, has chosen to produce a parkour-style game, which was inspired by sandbox and MMO games. Gaming collective Yogscast developed a base defence game. The third game, devised by superstar YouTube gaming duo, Slogo and Jelly, is a classic team-vs-team game.
The Ultra Arcade lobby brings to life AI product features of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , including Live Translate and Nightography. Players will be able to take a selfie with Raheem Sterling in the lobby as a nod to the new camera technology in the device. Social content and livestreams from the talent include product messaging about the device.
Following the launch, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Arcade creators, alongside talent from Samsung’s Team Galaxy, posted a range of social content and livestreams across platforms including Twitch, YouTube, Instagram and X.
The launch is supported by a cinematic trailer and social media campaign created by gametech and gaming marketing company Livewire. The campaign will run until mid-March across Fortnite Creative, Twitch, YouTube, Instagram and X, and the games will be available for at least six months.
To execute this campaign for Samsung UK, Livewire worked together with Publicis Sport & Entertainment, who brokered the partnership and supported across ideation, concept development and project management.
Jack Woodcock, Head of Creative Strategy at Livewire, said:
“To drive awareness of the new Samsung S24 Ultra we’ve unleashed the Samsung Ultra Arcade in Fortnite Creative, giving creators and their online communities decision-making power. This collaborative approach has helped us ensure that the new experience is exactly what gamers want.”
Jack Woodcock, Livewire
Annika Bizon at Samsung UK added: “The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Arcade builds on the success of the Galaxy Z Fold5 gaming experience launch last year, advancing our dedication to the UK’s gaming landscape.
“By collaborating with creators, we’re shaping a new, immersive experience that places our device and its groundbreaking AI features at the forefront. This partnership-centric approach not only highlights the device’s capabilities but also ensures genuine engagement and enthusiasm from the creators involved.”
The Ultra Arcade games are the latest Fortnite Creative addition, and are not endorsed by Fortnite developer Epic Games.
Another recent independent game made within Fortnite sparked controversy, with the British Army’s scrapped Fortnite Operation Belong campaign being accused of attempting to recruit young gamers into the army.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
