Client
Lady Brava
Year
2024
Type of sector
Arts & Culture
Type of work
Exhibitions
Over the past four decades video games have transformed the landscape of entertainment and human interaction. From Pacman to Pokemon Go, it is hard to overstate the impact this medium has had, yet it has only been possible thanks to the exponential growth of the gaming community. We teamed up with Lady Brava, Arena, and Domino’s to build a 3-metre-tall monument in honour of the history and evolution of this innovative community.
Talking like a gamer
Approaching this project the first priority was to immerse ourselves in the creative and nuanced culture around gaming, so we could connect from a place of shared understanding. We had to be sure we were speaking a language that captured the diversity of this interconnected community and represented the visitors at the event.
A story of three chapters
The story starts in 1980, and is divided into three chapters. Each one took the form of a physical module in the monument, narrated through audiovisual pieces and original objects from the time:
1980 - 2000: The gamer and the machine
The public get their first taste of the gaming experience in video arcades that become new social hubs for young people. Soon, cartridges and CD-roms make their way into the home with the first consoles and multiplayer games being plugged into the living room television.
2000 - 2010: The social gamer
A community of millions of gamers around the world is suddenly connected and competing thanks to home internet.
2010 - 2024: The online gamer
We begin streaming and sharing in real time through mobile devices and HD resolution as the community becomes something more immersive and multidimensional.
A new player has entered the game
We aimed to create an inclusive and interactive experience that acknowledges the importance of the gamer. We positioned the visitor not just as a passive observer, but as a part of the monument itself, thus recognising their integral part in the gaming story.
The installation featured interactive technology that allowed participants to see themselves embodying the gamer visuals of the past through visual filters. Additionally, the screens displayed both historical and current gaming data, and community-generated content to represent the ever-evolving present.
Level by level
Each level of the monument incorporated audiovisual elements that combined to tell a story spanning 44 years. To choreograph this display we created a simulator that ran all the videos simultaneously. It gave us the chance to preview the overall impact of the piece, and refine the visual elements where necessary.
To create an authentic experience each module was made up of original materials from the era, including a total of 685 real consoles, joysticks, headphones and memorabilia that gamers would recognise. At the same time, we had to arrange them in a way that produced a visual harmony between the different faces of the monument, and this required extensive mapping and drafting before construction could begin.
The future
The resulting monument stands as a tribute to the transformative power and cultural impact of the gaming community. As a living testament to the past, present, and future of players around the world, it continues to evolve, with plans to tour new locations and reach wider audiences.
The Gaming Monument
Do you consider yourself a gamer?
Number of answers:
