Shadows Over Innistrad Reveal & Worldwide Grand Prix

Wizards of the Coast wanted to execute a coordinated launch, in three countries, for their epically popular card game, Magic: The Gathering. Set on the plane of Innistrad, Magic is famous for incredible artwork and an intricate story line .This unique game celebrates a rich 25-year history, with 20 million active players in 11 different languages. The game is played in local tournaments and at Grand Prix events by semi-professionals worldwide, and has 1.5+ million Facebook likes and over 100K Twitter followers.

WOTC wanted to reveal their newest set of playing cards for the game at the same time as a worldwide Grand Prix tournament, catering to an enormous live audience and engaging their massive online community. To do so required a strategic link between live and digital mediums—live events designed to provide content that could be packaged and delivered online.

The mission became to revolutionize that launch strategy—bringing WOTC’s story forward and linking the community to that story. In an experience crescendo that captivated the entire community over the course of 68 hours, WOTC hosted three Grand Prix tournaments in Bologna, Melbourne and Detroit. Interactive spaces were designed to complement these simultaneous tournaments, with three unique, custom escape rooms offering attendees the opportunity to unravel the mysteries of three Innistrad landmarks. Each custom escape room immersed event attendees into Innistrad, a plane of Gothic horror. Many of the escape rooms’ clues were graphic elements, helping visitors navigate their route to safety. No detail was too small: from the over 113 graphics produced in house to the intricate game props, from the stained curtains atop Thraben Cathedral in Detroit to the life-like vampire heads protruding from the walls of Markov Manor in Bologna.

Live participants thrilled at the experiences, while the community online followed intently—as live video coverage was fed back to WOTC social and web channels.

Design Team

Pinnacle Exhibits, Lone Shark Games (puzzle design)

Consultants

Lone Shark Games: Strategized with WOTC & Design Firm to create escape room puzzle narratives. Mob Scene: Filmed all three events and uploaded content to US for editing and production for live air

Fabricators

Pinnacle Exhibits