Punchdrunk teamed up with Playstation 3 for an experiment in immersive gaming theatre under the Waterloo Station Arches.
Immersive theatre company Punchdrunk was recruited by Sony Playstation to devise an interactive, immersive theatrical spectacle for the launch of new game Resistance 3.
The objective was to promote the new game release, but also to drag gamers from the comfort of their bedrooms to a new live experience and bring gaming to a new audience.
‘And Darkness Descended’ is described as a unique survival experiment combining theatre and gaming in Waterloo Station Arches. Participants become part of the ‘game’ and the longer they ‘survive’, the more they get to see of the experience.
As with most Punchdrunk events, tickets are free but extremely limited. Gaming and theatre fans were invited to apply by registering for the September performances over August Bank Holiday Weekend on Playstation’s Facebook page or by emailing accesslive@scee.net.
The experience, part interactive game, part ghost walk follows Punchdrunk’s classic promenade style.
The show to promote the release of the video game Resistance 3 is a symbiosis of artistic forms, the thrill of teamwork and interactivity of video games. Lighting, sounds and smells in the experience are all inspired by the game, with players required to work together to continue for as long as possible, echoing the collaborative multi-player elements in the game.
‘We are fascinated by the level of immersion that is inherent within video games and the possible interface with the real world. We are delighted to be exploring the role of the audience as player, participant and potentially character within a project that transcends theatre and gaming, in particular the visceral potential for a fusion of these two forms,’ said Punchdrunk’s artistic director Felix Barrett. ‘And finally we get a chance to apply PlayStation’s game mechanics and transpose them to a live environment; the emotional and experiential potential of finding yourself within a video game is huge – you are your own avatar.’
The game itself is released on 9 September in the UK.
Comment:
Punchdrunk, in addition to its own performances and theatrical and artistic collaborations, has built a strong heritage in producing such experiences for brands and product launch events for clients ranging from Doctor Who and Stella Artois.
Its experiences not only provide truly memorable moments for those lucky enough to get a ticket but also generate follow on word of mouth and brand related buzz. Furthermore, Punchdrunk is much loved by the arts media and thus even its brand events tend to generate a lot of positive PR.
Links:
www.facebook.com/playstationaccess
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