Center Court as a custom game for the Erste Bank Open

Key facts

Client
e|motion group

Occasion
Erste Bank Open, Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna

Format
Custom game built individually, in multiplayer, single-player and mobile only, promoted via digital out-of-home, played on the visitor's own smartphone

Starting point

The Erste Bank Open is the ATP tennis tournament at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna. A sports event like this is promoted mostly in the run-up, at a time when the tournament itself cannot be seen yet. For the promotion, e|motion group therefore relied on a game that makes the tournament tangible before the first serve. Instead of a game from the standard toolkit, the result was a custom game with a stage of its own.

The game and the setup

Together with e|motion group, we developed the Center Court as a game of its own and provided it as software. The custom game picks up the tournament's best-known stage at the Wiener Stadthalle and turns it into a playful canvas for promoting the ATP event.

The game is playable across various formats and open to everyone. The modes follow the logic of the platform:

• Multiplayer: several people play against each other at the same time on one large screen, each using their own phone as a controller.
• Single-player: one person plays on the large screen, controlled via smartphone.
• Mobile only: the game runs entirely in the phone's browser, independent of any screen on site.

Digital out-of-home drew attention to the game, while play happened directly on the visitor's own smartphone. No app is needed, the game runs in the browser. The result is a low-barrier interaction that needs no extra hardware and lets anyone join in.

This matters for digital out-of-home in particular. An advertising screen in public space has no keyboard and no touchscreen for passers-by. With their own smartphone as the controller, the ad space becomes an entry point into the game, and in mobile only mode the game can also be played on the phone independently of any screen.

Technically, the custom game is not a detour next to the platform but one more game in the library: with the same dashboard, the same lead fields and the same metrics as the standard games. Our custom games are built in four steps: briefing, concept, development and launch, each coordinated with the client.

Outcome

By combining digital out-of-home as an eye-catcher with mobile as the playing surface, the Erste Bank Open becomes tangible well ahead of the event. For us, the project is a good example of how a sports event can be charged with emotion and promoted with reach through a custom game. Thinking about a game mechanic of your own for your event? You will find the terms on our pricing page, and you can reach us via contact for an assessment of effort and feasibility.

Impressions