Castrol EDGE today launched its latest adrenaline-charged driving challenge to discover whether real or computer game driving skills are superior. The contest pitted one of the world’s top drift racers against a top gamer in a revolutionary desert race. Replicating driving in a video game with a specially-modified Ford Mustang, the two drivers raced as if driving in a video game, #TITANIUMGAMER.
TITANIUM GAMER, in collaboration with Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), is inspired by one of the world’s bestselling video game franchises, Need for Speed™. Pushing the boundaries of driving performance, TITANIUM GAMER marks the launch of the Castrol EDGE ‘Titanium Trials’ in the action driving, Need for Speed Payback, game. This marks the launch of a landmark collaboration where a new mission in the game was designed by the world-class studio Ghost with support from Castrol EDGE. Titanium Trials is available from 20 March 2018, and will allow players to hit the canyons, tackle off-road in the dessert and race against time through Mount Providence.
Vivek Rampal, Global Marketing Director, Cars & Bikes at Castrol, commented: “There’s strong synergy between the Need for Speed and Castrol EDGE brands; we focus on pushing boundaries. TITANIUM GAMER is a challenge unlike anything else that uses gaming technology to illustrate the role of oil in engine performance, and that Castrol EDGE has the strength to perform no matter what demands are placed on the engine or its driver.”
Christian Sponziello, EA Brand Partnerships Director, commented: “Titanium Gamer has been an exciting project to work closely on with Castrol EDGE. This has been an innovative programme that has enabled us to bring the sensation of playing Need for Speed to life for real, which Luke and Theo found extremely exhilarating.
Need for Speed players can use the third person, above-car viewing angle to drive in-game. Castrol EDGE called on Monster drift driver Luke Woodham and Need for Speed influencer Theo Thomas to drive the closed desert course in the Mustang with only the third person, ‘gameplay’ view to see who finished first and was crowned ‘Titanium Strong’.
Castrol EDGE wanted to see who would handle the drive in such a new sensory experience best – a professional driver or gamer? Each driver had to rely on his instinctive driving skills and trust the performance of the car while navigating the course, which echoed the fictional Liberty Desert in Fortune Valley in Need for Speed Payback.
Drift driver Luke Woodham said: “When Castrol EDGE approached me, it sounded like such a unique challenge I knew I couldn’t miss out. And in reality it was one of the most exhilarating, toughest driving experiences of my life”.
Gamer Theo Thomas said: “It was of course a lot harder than the game, but I also had to remember I was driving a real car at times – it was such a massive sensory challenge.”
In TITANIUM GAMER, live driving action is blended with in-game Need for Speed Payback footage to create content like no other. It’s an exciting experience for gamers, as well as those with a passion for driving and pushing the limits. Gamers appreciate an experience that’s close to reality; rich, immersive, thrilling content that will help take them to another realm. This is the inspiration for TITANIUM GAMER – a challenge which combines the real world with the in-game world.
