Hit mobile game Clash of Clans is celebrating its fifth anniversary by recounting all the destruction its players have wrought throughout the years, and by launching a campaign where its Builder character (the one who builds the structures that are subsequently destroyed) is let loose into the world.
In the “Builder Has Left” campaign, the character leaves the Clash of Clans world—because he’s tired of having all of his structures torn down by giants and goblins—and enters ours. Game developer Supercell has even listed a job vacancy for the Builder’s post, with requirements including speaking fluent barbarian and being comfortable working hands-on with molten lava.
The Builder has already left his mark on Huntington State Beach in California, where a 12-foot statue of a giant from the game and four water cannons are there for attendees to interact with until September 3. Fans can keep track of the Builder’s adventures in the real world through social media, including an Instagram takeover and an augmented reality camera activation on Facebook, where users can dress up as the Builder for a selfie or turn the camera around to place the Builder anywhere in the real world.
“We love giving developers the platform to be creative and connect with their fans in a way that only they could dream up,” Leo Olebe, Facebook’s director of global games partnerships, told AListDaily, discussing the AR camera effect. “When Supercell came up with the idea to have the Builder leave the game as part of the fifth anniversary of Clash of Clans, we knew we had to do something for its Facebook community to be a part of that mystery. Tapping into AR made perfect sense—it gives fans a chance to bring the Builder into their own world. It’s great to see this fun character interacting in people’s worlds outside the game. People are really having fun with it.”
“The Builder’s AR debut is being promoted within the Clash of Clans app and on the game’s various social channels so players can easily access it from their phones and share their experiences,” Jessica Yuan, a brand marketer for Supercell, told AListDaily.
The Clash of Clans app notifies players through its news feed that the Builder has been sighted on Facebook. Tapping on the notification takes players to a Facebook post where the AR camera effect is promoted, and the AR effect will remain live indefinitely.
“There’s no end in sight for the Builder’s adventures on Facebook at this time,” Yuan said.
“We’ve had a great relationship with Supercell for several years—we love how Supercell is so devoted to its community,” said Olebe, discussing how the partnership between Facebook and Supercell came together. “They’re constantly coming up with fun and surprising ways to connect with their fans, and they’re willing to experiment with new tools. In fact, they’ve been an early closed beta partner for AR Studio since we launched it at F8. We’re always on board to help them tap into the power of the Facebook platform to bring something new to Facebook and Supercell’s committed fans.”