Explorers of the Impossible

7th Term

Summer 2019

Branding

and Strategy

14 Week

Timeframe

Future of

Gaming

Value Proposition

Offer an Immersive Active Social gaming environment. Focusing on the telling and sharing of Stories.

the history of

Gaming

A brief summary

Spear

Throwing

70.000BC

Wrestling

15.000BC

Bull Jumping

1.500BC

Polo

500BC

Basketball

1891

Pong

1972

then there came

1996

And this is an introduction to it

Founded in 1996, Alienware has always targeted hardcore gamers. Show by both their price point and defined aesthetic values. And for that same reason, the brand now struggles to sell to a more adult consumer, that usually prefers to either build their own computer or get a less flashy piece.

1998

2005

2009

2011

2013

Area 51 PC

Area 51-m7700

New M17

m18x

AW14

2002

Area 51-M

2006

M17

2010

m11x

2012

X51 Console

2019

Area-51m

Dells buys Alienware

Market Value

3 Billion

US Dollars

Globally in 2018

Cobler, Nicole. “For First Time, Dell Reveals Subsidiary Alienware Is a $3 Billion Business.” Statesman, Austin American-Statesman, 19 Oct. 2018,

General Takeaways

Social Connections are very important for all groups

​

Meaningful Stories are usually more important than specs or power

​

Experiences are more important than new technologies

​

Gaming can either enhance or completely prevent people from connecting

KEY TRENDS

FRAMING

How might Alienware start to appeal to a more mature audience?

Brand Challenges

• The ‘Gamer’ Stereotype

• What gamers and non gamers have in common?

• Develop a platform that works for both

• How to begin telling stories instead of selling specs

• How much connection is too much?

the year is

2040

Introducing

Explorers of the Impossible

Offer an Immersive Active Social gaming environment. Focusing on the telling and sharing of Stories.

Blue Ocean Canvas

Price

Specs

Customer Service

Community Engagement

Immersion

Multi

Player

Single Player

Story Focus

Physical Activity

Customized Experience

High

Low

Traditional Gaming Brands

Mobile Gaming

PC and Console

Brand Attibutes

Personal

Narratives

A Story that is built around the user, they play a character in the bigger game of life. 

Ubiquitous

Multiplayer

Play and interact with other people around stories happening all around you.

Active

Gaming

The removal of physical limitations from traditional sports.

Natural

Immersion

The most natural interactions, in the most immersive of the worlds.

Community

Control

Open source and highly mutable, each person can contribute to the experience.

Social

Escape

Escaping the regular with old and new friends.

COSMOS

Modes

Each mode is designed for a different type of person, ranging from the most hardcore gamers to people that don't understand what gaming is.

Story Mode

In this mode, the user is immersed in a story. From romantic comedies to psychological thrillers, these are short narratives that play out in front of the person or people watching it.

• Focused on experiencing narratives and stories.

​

• Appealing stories are chosen with the help of Big Data and entertainment patterns.

​

• Narratives adapt to location, the same story can be different depending on where it is played at.

​

• Stories are made by the community

Simple Interface Wireframe 

Adventure Mode

Experience the most fantastical adventures, be an undercover cyberpunk cop or a magic casting wizard, this mode takes imagination into the real world, other people are able to see your adventure, just like it is really happening.

• Most Immersive and interactive of the Modes.

​

• Inspired by Tabletop Role-Playing Games.

​

• Meant to be played socially with friends or other people.

​

• The Dungeon Master can be anyone, therefore stories can be imagined by users.

Simple Interface Wireframe 

Sport Mode

This mode creates and changes sports as we know it. Using the physical basis of any traditional sport and adding interesting elements on top of it. Think soccer, but the ball is on fire... and explodes things.

• Targets people that are not familiar with video games.

​

• Removes physical limitations from sports.

​

• Based on Physical + Virtual Interactions

​

• Community driven set of rules and games.

Simple Interface Wireframe 

Now, how would those experiences turn into reality? 

​

This is where the Portals come in.

COSMOS

Portals

The tools that transports the user into the fantastical worlds of Cosmos, using 4 senses to provide a complete sense of immersion.

Visual

Portal

The Glasses offer a familiar way to experience new stories. Working as an Mixed Reality projector it creates images of objects and characters that are not there.

For a more seamless experience, contact lenses are also an options, these are self cleaning and, when put in their case, they charge get renewed for the next day.

Lightweight and 
Characteristic Frames

Auditory

Portal

Bone induction headphones enable virtual sounds to be seamlessly mixed with outside sounds.

Their Wireless capability provides an experience free of hassle.

Tactile Textured
Interface

Secure Ear Lock

Tactile

Portal

A textured ring that works both as a tactile feedback device and Menu starter.

​Made available in several different metals and finishes for all fashion tastes.

Temperature Simulations
and simple Vibrations.

Olfactory

Portal

The necklace houses several different kinds of basic scents that, when combined can generate a plethora of smells for the most varied stories.

It can also control the temperature in which those smells come out, enhancing the immersion.

Action

Tool

Transforms itself into any weapon or tool necessary in Adventure mode.

A physical indication light can indicate the virtual function.

​A retractable trigger improves its flexibility when using guns versus swords for example.

Story

Book

The story book is a small portal with virtual pages that displays an assortment of stories and narratives.

It houses key information and translates that into interesting and tailored stories.

At a pocket-able size, the book fits inside of any pocket, purse or bag.

Pop Up

Experience

The Pop up store will be the way in which new users will be able to find out about what the Cosmos environment is, and test it, since the best way to know how it feels is actually experiencing it.

Meant to be built at big parks and open areas, the store is divided into the three Cosmos Environments, each with their own experience demo and playing area.

PROCESS

Research Summary

Insights

Social Interaction is the common thread between gamers and non-gamers

Good Stories are the most important aspect to engagement

The gaming stigma is broken if the game is physical (aka sports)

VR does not look awkward if everyone can see and interact with it

Opportunities

Develop a Gaming (or entertainment) platform that focuses on social interaction.

Create a community-based (never ending) and immersive storytelling platform.

Connect the freedom of digital games to the physicality of sports.

Shared Mixed reality environments, everyone sees the same things.

Visual Brand Language

Shape

The concept of two forms that envelop around each other, with some areas being revealed, and others hidden.

Proportion

A generally elongated set
of dimensions, where one
dimension is usually much
bigger than the other one.

Texture

An irregular tactile ribbing
texture is applied to all
products for touch-ability
indication and visual
language consistency.