Westworld: The Maze (HBO)
If you have ever questioned the nature of your reality, your journey to freedom starts with three words: Alexa, Open Westworld.
We partnered with HBO to debut the network’s first full-scale voice skill with “Westworld: The Maze,” an immersive gaming skill for Westworld fans.
Crafted to delight even the most die-hard fan, The Maze delivers a true extension of the show’s world, with over two hours of unique gameplay. Each element of the skill was designed with the show’s layered and rich narrative in mind. Beloved characters Bernard/Arnold (Jeffrey Wright) and Clementine (Angela Sarafyan) appear throughout certain stages of the game, lending their vocal talents to test users on their understanding of Westworld lore.
We’ve provided fans with the unique ability to enter Westworld from within their own homes, exploring the park as a host on a quest for consciousness. Users are guided through three “choose-your-own-adventure” style levels with over 60 storylines and 400 unique game choices riddled with questions about the Westworld universe.
The vast and detailed premium experience is the result of a truly collaborative effort between HBO, Kilter Films – the production team behind Westworld – and 360i, along with Xandra, our Voice Production Partner.
The voice skill was born out of the natural narrative tie between Westworld and Voice technology, which provided a new forum into which HBO and 360i could extend our legacy of innovative work together. Each moment of the game was designed with purpose, much like the show itself. Within the game’s detailed sound design and scripted interactions, anything could be a clue – an immersive reward for superfans who revel in the show’s layers and chase down every hint and teaser out there, allowing them to extend Westworld beyond the Season 2 finale.
To experience “Westworld: The Maze” for yourself, just tell any Alexa-enabled device: “Alexa, open Westworld.”
Featured in: The New York Times, Wired, Fast Company and Adage
Awards:
2019
- CANNES LIONS - Grand Prix, Radio & Audio
- CANNES LIONS - Gold, Digital Craft, Experience Design: Voice
- D&AD - Wood Pencil, Radio Audio - innovative use
- ONE SHOW - BEST OF CATEGORY, Digital Craft
- ONE SHOW - Gold, Digital Craft Sound
- ONE SHOW - Bronze Branded Entertainment Audio
- ONE SHOW - Bronze, Audio Experiential
- ONE SHOW - Merit, Digital Craft Innovation
- ONE SHOW - Merit, Direct use of Smart Devices
- ONE SHOW - Merit, Audio Innovation
- ONE SHOW - Merit, Audio Sound Design
- ONE SHOW - Merit, Digital Craft smart Devices
- ADC NY - Silver, User experience design
- ADC NY - Silver, Use of technology
- ADC NY - Bronze, Web / Social Media
- ADC NY - Merit, Branded content / Entertainment
- ADC NY - Merit, Advertising, Games
- ADC NY - Merit, Responsive Environments
- ANDY AWARDS - Gold, Reset
- ANDY AWARDS - Gold, Idea
- ADAGE CREATIVITY AWARDS - Winner, Best Voice Application
- ADWEEK EXPERIENTIAL AWARDS - Finalist, Best use of Music/Audio
- NY FESTIVALS - Gold, Branded Content/Entertainment - Gaming,
- NY FESTIVALS - Gold, Audio/Radio, Best use of Medium
- NY FESTIVALS - Silver, Avant Garde/Innovative - Creative use of Medium
- NY FESTIVALS - Silver, Audio/Radio - Technology
- NY FESTIVALS - Silver, Digital Mobile - Best use of Medium
- NY FESTIVALS - Bronze, Activation. & Engagement - Technology
- WEBBY AWARDS - People’s Voice Winner, Best use of Machine learning
- WEBBY AWARDS - Winner, Branded content
- AICP NEXT AWARDS - Shortlist, Branded Content
- AICP NEXT AWARDS - Shortlist, Innovation
- SHORTY AWARDS - Gold, Games
- SHORTY AWARDS - Winner, Artificial Intelligence
- LUERZERS ARCHIVE GRAND SLAM - Gold, Innovation in Sound, Games
- LUERZERS ARCHIVE GRAND SLAM - Gold, Digital Games
- LUERZERS ARCHIVE GRAND SLAM - Bronze, Use of digital and social
2018
- LIA AWARDS - Silver, Branded Entertainment Audio
- LIA AWARDS - Gold, The new Creative Technology
- LIA AWARDS - Gold, Radio & Audio sound design
- LIA AWARDS - Gold, Innovative use of Radio & Audio
- LIA AWARDS - Gold, Digital music sound design
- CLIO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - Shortlist, Television Other
- CLIO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - Shortlist, Television innovation
- CLIO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - Shortlist, Digital technique sound design
- CLIO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - Shortlist, Digital and mobile games
- OMMA AWARDS - Winner, Gaming
- OMMA AWARDS - Winner, interactive creative
- CLIO AWARDS - Silver, digital and mobile games
- CLIO AWARDS - Bronze, Medium Innovation
- CLIO AWARDS - Bronze, Audio technique sound design
- CLIO AWARDS - Bronze, Branded Entertainment games
Case Study:
CLIENT: HBO
AGENCY: 360i NY
ROLE: Executive Producer
Production Partners: Xandra and Kilter Films