Overview

Bethesda partnered with Discord to promote the newly launched DOOM: The Dark Ages through an engaging, reward-driven Video Quest. Over seven days, the campaign reached millions of players across DOOM loyalists and FPS fans, delivering standout brand lift and exceptional completion rates.

Problem 

Bethesda sought to quickly build awareness and drive consideration for DOOM: The Dark Ages among active DOOM players, lapsed fans, and FPS players across overlapping titles. The challenge: breaking through a crowded launch window and motivating players to meaningfully engage with the new title.

Solution

Bethesda launched a 7-day Video Quest across the US and Canada, reaching DOOM fans, shooter players, and overlapping genres. Players watched the trailer to unlock an exclusive Shield Saw Avatar Decoration, driving strong engagement. Brand impact was measured through a Kantar Brand Lift Study focused on awareness and consideration.

Reward

Players who completed the Quest unlocked the Shield Saw Avatar Decoration, a highly thematic cosmetic item that resonated strongly with DOOM fans and drove motivation to finish the Quest.

Results

Highlight Metrics*:

• Ad Awareness: +11.3 pt lift, showing the Quest strongly increased campaign visibility
  
• Play Intent: +3.4 pt lift (90% confidence), demonstrating meaningful persuasion among players
• Top-of-Mind Awareness: +5.7 pt lift among frequent FPS players
• Engagement: 81% video completion rate, far above industry norms
• Reach: Over 5 million players engaged with the campaign

‍

The campaign delivered exceptional outcomes across awareness, consideration, and engagement. By reaching DOOM devotees and broader FPS fans in a native, reward-driven environment, the Video Quest helped DOOM: The Dark Ages break through with strong momentum, proving the power of Discord as an activation platform for premium game launches.

_{*Disclaimer: Based on Discord data; BLS ad awareness = consumer recall of seeing the ad.  Play intent = how likely someone says they are to play the game after seeing the ad.}