In a post-apocalyptic future, the nation is in a State of Emergency. The ZTX Virus is rapidly spreading, infecting city after city, and in desperation the government has enacted Agenda 12, granting emergency powers to the newly created Ministry for Disease Control.
The government has urged remaining citizens to raise arms, prepare for the worst and report immediately to a designated quarantine zones.
Only few will survive the four-hour perilous journey to safety. Along the way you'll do missions and hunt zombies or become one of the walking dead.
Such a scene might sound like most people's worst nightmare or a cliched zombie movie, but it's the premise of Zedtown, an interactive survival game that draws hundreds of gamers each event.
The premise is simple: complete missions, hunt zombies and survive. But if you get touched by a zombie, you become one for the rest of the match and survival becomes much harder the longer the game goes.
The concept has grown from a game between a group of friends five years ago into a massive event that attracts more than 1,000 people played within a university campus-sized perimeter.
Andrew Garrick, a producer and director of TV shows and ads, is the co-founder and managing director of Zedtown. His team comes up with the plot lines for each event and directs gameplay, including a team of actors to play characters and zombies.
Zedtown has partnered with TEG Life Like Touring, an events production business that brings the concept to life and looks for ways to grow it commercially.
“Basically it's evolved from three of us working in our garage in Marrickville to talking with the big end of town about expanding,” he tells AdNews. “Last week, one of the Life Like guys was over in Vegas talking with Hasbro International about Zedtown rolling out globally.
“The stage we've come from was proof of concept of a commercial business and now we're looking at building the format.”
Hasbro's Nerf is the first brand to come on board and sponsor the concept; it makes the majority of weapons used by contestants. But there are many more opportunities for brands to get involved, particularly those looking to reach 18–30 year old men and women.
“Our model is Tough Mudder for nerds and we're talking to a very diverse range of brands to integrate," Garrick explains.
“We've got the app that is used by players to communicate throughout the event; it could be powered by a product.
“We also have in-event integrations. For example, in missions we would ask contestants to take photos in front a branded landmark. There are specific zones, such as the zombie hub powered, that can be powered by a brand. There's also in game giveaways like cans of soft drink.”
Garrick says there are plans to introduce an in-game bespoke radio station with real advertising spots, similar to the radio in the video game Grand Theft Auto.
Garrick says the game has already attracted interest from several brands but they are on the hunt for more. "We're looking for adventurous brands who want to connect with niche communities of game players and adventure seekers,” Garrick says.
Zedtown's next events are in Melbourne this weekend and Sydney in July with plans to host events in other parts of Australia. Check out an image gallery of the game below (photos: Maddy Ritchie).
Disclaimer: AdNews was invited to take part in an Zedtown event recently.
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