Microsoft Builds World Cup Content For Xbox One & IE

Microsoft activates around the World Cup with a new ‘Destination Brazil’ hub, debuting 12 June, featuring a ‘Brazil Now’ app, fast access to the exclusive ‘FIFA 14 Ultimate Team’ game and the debut of ‘Every Street United’ – an original Xbox series on talented street soccer stars from around the world.

The content-rich seam of work from Microsoft, which is not a FIFA sponsor but does have a partnership with official FIFA games maker EA, aims to ensure that the US tech giant and console brand doesn’t miss out on World Cup marketing mania.

The ‘Brazil Now’ Xbox One app provides users with World Cup alerts, real time score updates, stats and data,, plus live social media input, interactive polls, and more. Indeed, it features a device enabling users to ‘Snap’ the app whilst watching a live match on the Xbox One console and then receive a slew of supplemental game-related information on the right hand side of the screen.

Console owners will also be able to watch the ‘Every Street United’ programme series directly from the ‘Destination Brazil’ Xbox One hub.

This show, one of several new examples of original TV programme production from the Xbox One team, follows a set of gifted, yet undiscovered street soccer stars from various countries across the globe.

Fronted by former football stars Thierry Henry and Edgar Davids, the two legends travel circle the planet seeking eight of the best players to compete in a 4-on-4 street game in World Cup Final host city Rio de Janeiro.

The show’s première is on 15 June.

Microsoft’s ‘Destination Brazil’ platform also offers quick access to and an exclusive game mode of EA Sports console game title ‘FIFA 14 Ultimate Team: FIFA World Cup’.

Gamers can pick players from all 32 World Cup teams and build their own squads.

In a promotional strand to its World Cup work, Microsft is also offering all those who purchase FIFA 14 for Xbox One or Xbox 360, or 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil at a Microsoft store a mini Xbox soccer ball.

Comment

Back in May 2013 Xbox One and EA Sports unveiled a new partnership revolving around Microsoft’s new console which saw FIFA 14 launch on the new console and a new version of FIFA 14 Ultimate Team coming exclusively to Xbox One.

This latest World Cup initiative leverages this tie-up and takes it to the next stage.

Furthermore, this Xbox led platform follows on from Microsoft’s slick new World Cup website for Internet Explorer – which also launched in early June in the weeks leading up to the World Cup.

The site, built by a joint team from official US Brazil 2014 broadcaster ESPN and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer team is called ESPN FC World Cup Essentials.

See http://essentials.espnfc.com/

The platform, designed primarily for touch devices and interactive rethink IE websites, features a one-stop shop platform for the tournament that spans team and competition information, comprehensive data sets, plus a wide range of supporting content and tools, as well as funky interactive 3D artwork.

It also offers the latest pitch-side news, social media updates, match-dedicated pages and highlights from every World Cup dating back to 1930.

The site is being pushed via an online promotional film.