• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, February 12, 2018

Fans at a Golden State Warriors home game over the weekend were treated to a bit more half-time entertainment than the typical NBA contest. They watched as the Oracle Arena’s basketball court was transformed into a multimedia, near-3D, cinematic-like activation for a soon-to-be-released PS4 game. 

The effort, developed by BBH New York was part of a broader campaign promoting the new PlayStation PS4 title, “God of War,” due out in April. 

When the arena went dark at half-time, fans were not aware of what they were about to experience and could have been forgiven for thinking it was a black-out. 

But seconds after the lights went out the show began. Using an advanced projection screen technique the agency has dubbed “narrative mapping,”  the court and the giant JumboTron above were transformed into the game’s animated snowy Nordic landscape where fans watched as the God Of War father-and-son protagonists did battle with monstrous enemies as they made their way across treacherous terrain and harsh elements. 

It’s said to be the first time the technology has been used at a major sports arena. 

The event, called “War On The Floor,” was also streamed on Facebook Live and shown during ABC’s national coverage of the game Saturday night. 

“Gaming is immersive and gives you the feeling that you’re ‘inside’ the game,” said Anthony Romano, CEO BBH New York. It’s that kind of immersive experience that the Oracle Arena activation was designed to simulate, he added. 

“It’s really a new canvas from a media perspective,” added Romano. “You feel like you’re inside the action and experience something that goes beyond what TV and other advertising channels can provide.” 

PlayStation marketing vice president Asad Qizilbash added that the company is “always looking for our games to grow and transcend into different mediums” like the arena activation, “and attract new fans.” 

BBH partnered with projection services specialist Quince Imaging to produce the activation. 

The God of War game was developed by Santa Monica Studio.  The official release date is April 20.