Unmissable PR stunts from the gaming cosmos
By Arne Schreiter
Everyone loves video games. According to DFC Intelligence, around 3.7 billion people play regularly. So it's no wonder that esports—the professional playing of video games–is a billion-dollar industry. Young people can become millionaires, and the biggest events in the industry sell-out entire arenas. Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best PR stunts from the gaming world, that we feel like you need to know about.
PR stunt 1: $33,000 for an elementary school student
Believe it or not, Fortnite is a game that turns kids into millionaires. Have you ever heard of Jaden Ashman? The English 19-year-old has already been in the Guinness Book of Records for four years. At the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, he and his partner finished in second place, winning over €1 million in prize money. Since then, he has become the youngest esports millionaire in the world. He even bought his mother a house and a car. Jaden Ashman was 15 years old when he set his world record.
If you find that surprising, wait until you hear about Joseph Deen. The story of this elementary school student went around the world in December 2020. In Germany, media outlets like "Der Spiegel", "Der Stern" and "Bild" reported that the e-sports team "Team 33" from Los Angeles had signed eight-year-old Joseph Deen for its Fortnite team for $33,000. A clever move by "Team 33," which was previously only known to insiders of the scene. Since then, the popularity and recognition of this name in the scene has increased significantly.
The bizarre thing is that the Fortnite World Cup, where the big money flows, has an age limit of 13. Deen, who was supposedly scouted by Team 33 as a six-year-old, will have to wait four more years before he gets the chance to follow in Jaden Ashman's footsteps.
PR stunt 2: Triangle, square, X and circle
Simple but good. A green triangle, a pink square, a blue X and a red circle shine on the OXOTower in London in November 2013. If you've ever held a Playstation controller in your hand, these signs will look familiar. The occasion was the release of the Playstation 4 by Sony. The story, indeed, attracted the attention of major British media outlets, attracting the attention of The Daily Mail and The Mirror. A clever starting signal for the triumphant advance of the PS4, which remained Sony's number one console for almost ten years.
PR stunt 3: EA and its infallible oracle
FIFA is the go-to for soccer fans when it comes to esports, and one of the most popular video game series ever. Every four years, manufacturer EA simulates the World Cup in its game and tries to predict the world champion–with almost frightening success. Since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the simulation has been right four times in a row. Of course, this accuracy has not gone unnoticed by the media. Germany's major sports media, such as the "Kicker" reported on EA's correct predictions. On November 09, 2022–11 days before the opening match in Qatar - the trade journal asked with regard to Argentina's tournament victory simulated by EA: "Has the world champion already been decided?". When Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy in the desert six weeks later, perhaps EA itself was a little startled.
Gaming is booming. As a result, there is enormous potential for manufacturers in this field to attract enormous attention with a single PR stunt. Elementary school students paid to sit in front of a screen while pressing a few buttons on a controller, iconic symbols on a tower, psychic abilities - and half the world watching. This could easily be the blurb for a movie blockbuster, but it's happening before our eyes. The importance of gaming is undeniable and will remain the basis for more bizarre PR stunts from all those who want to jump on the hype.