#twitterhalowars

To launch Halo Wars 2 and showcase it’s brand new Blitz mode, we wanted to find a way to highlight the genre defying features of the game. We partnered with Twitter and created the first ever real-time strategy auto response game through their new DM platform. The format of the game stayed true to the fast paced original rock, paper, scissors format of Halo Wars.

Players tweet with Isabel, a real-life AI we created from the main AI in the game. Through this training module in the DM’s, Isabel moderates games as players use cards to battle their friends or the computer in an escalating three-round war. Winners receive unique GIFs of their final battle-winning move that they can share out, and also got exclusive custom vehicle skin packs for HW2.

The production itself was also unique. Working closely with 343 Industries, Twitter engineers, and IC Group, we had to create a beautiful mind-like matrix of all of the hundreds of possible outcomes. It also required a massive amount of copy to map back to every single edge case and scenario.

In the end, over 54,000 battles were played with an unheard of 94% completion rate. Twitter was thrilled with the final experience, with CEO Jack Dorsey weighing into say "this is our favorite use of the new direct messaging platform to date." To top it off, it won a bronze Clio in the gaming category.

Client: Xbox / 343 Industries

Agency: 215 McCann

Production Partners: Twitter, IC Group