Valorant • Retake: A Gamified Hybrid Experience

After a year of rapid-paced battles, we wanted to celebrate the first year of VALORANT and its growing community with a bang. So we launched RETAKE, a series of hybrid events in Cairo and Dubai where both on-site and online audiences became real life agents of the VALORANT Protocol. They competed against each other to detonate or defuse the Spike, a game-deciding device featured in the VALORANT lore and gameplay.

The rivalry between agents is not the only aspect of VALORANT’s rich lore that we brought to life. Upon entering the event space, agents were met by sets inspired by in-game maps. Iconic landmarks, props and a huge Spike fully immersed agents into the action. The competing teams were led by live hosts that commanded when to attack or when to defend. Ultimately, only one team emerged victorious.

The online experience took place on Twitch and was made possible with LiveXP, our own customizable tool to deliver interactive livestream experiences. Online viewers could attack by sharing hashtags, while on-site agents took part in physical interactive challenges based on in-game characters’ skills. Agents could control fire with their hands like Phoenix, escape the dark labyrinth haunted by Omen’s Paranoia or avoid being hit by lasers inspired by Cypher’s Trapwire ability.

RETAKE set the precedent for what can be achieved when brands invite online audiences to play an essential part in the story and mechanics of a physical event.