Game show

China – They often receive a bad press, but gamers are only doing what they love. Now online game developer Changyou has defended its customers against accusations of anti-social behaviour with a series of witty short films.

• Films explore the hidden feelings of gamers under the tagline ‘playing can’t be bad’
• Developed in collaboration with Del Campo Saatchi & Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi Greater China

Gamers who feel guilty about neglecting their families will be delighted to see the new series of films by Changyou, one of China’s biggest online game developers. The three shorts defend gamers’ escapism by showing the pleasure they get from their hobby, in contrast to the drudgery of their lives in the real world. In one, a cold-hearted narrator tells a little girl that she ‘completely ruined’ her daddy’s sex life. In another, a rude boss is informed in no uncertain terms that his employer prefers gaming to work.

The campaign has been launched in conjunction with the release of three new online games, TLBB 3D, Dush Fire and Warframe, but focuses on the players rather than the product. ‘The campaign uses ironic humour to examine human relationships,’ said Saatchi and Saatchi in a statement. 

The Big Picture: Moderation is no longer the modus operandi, and a digital addiction is nothing to be ashamed of. For a picture of a life defined by temporary extremes, read our macrotrend The Polarity Paradox.