Description:

79% of New Zealanders game. But as Aotearoa sits at the bottom of the world, we often miss out on the flashy international gaming events. Our brief was to build a world-class gaming experience while showcasing the strength and reliability of New Zealand’s biggest telco, Spark, to a discerning and often cynical gaming audience.

Our concept was simple but ambitious: transform the Spark Arena into a real-life co-op boss fight, turning the entire game festival into a fully immersive game.

We began by placing Spark’s history at the centre of our creative process. As the telco that first brought mobile phones to New Zealand, it felt fitting to resurrect a mobile classic: Snake. From this, we created Byte, a central character who would evolve into a virus-like boss that infiltrated every corner of the event.

Byte was designed to permeate the entire experience. From custom wristbands that acted as game controllers, to side quests and hidden pieces of concept art, attendees encountered Byte at every turn. The character was brought to life through a bold visual language combining 3D animation and hand-finished 2D elements. A deliberately low-poly aesthetic amplified Byte’s retro roots while anchoring the design in gaming culture. When Byte attacked, screens distorted. When damaged, Byte glitched back into its original, nostalgic form – a nod to early mobile gaming.

Bringing a boss fight into the physical world posed a unique design challenge. We combined spatial storytelling with integrated lighting, responsive sound effects, and real-time transitions across the arena’s massive screens. No matter where attendees were positioned or which screen they looked at, the experience remained coherent, compelling, and easy to follow. Byte moved seamlessly across interior and exterior displays, maintaining a constant presence throughout the venue.

Crucially, the design was adaptive. Gameplay sequences responded to audience behaviour in real time. If a specific area lacked engagement, Byte would release double points to draw players in and encourage activity. As the event progressed, Byte began dropping physical “scales” that players could collect to unlock backstory, reveal concept art, or win prizes. The experience built towards a climactic boss battle, complete with a second phase and extended even into themed merchandise. Every detail was crafted to merge digital and physical storytelling into one unforgettable narrative.

KILLABYTE was a runaway success. Players spent a total of 51,142 minutes playing the game, resulting in more than 600,000 interactions throughout the day. It was voted best game of the festival, beating out even Fortnite.