By David Owen
May 22 – Paris Saint-Germain has opened a new front in its international brand-building initiative, launching a video game for mobile phones.
Rushin’ Paris, available on free-to-play, has been developed in 16 languages, from Vietnamese to Swedish, on iOS and Android, underlining the scope of the Qatari-controlled club’s international ambitions.
The aim is to reach one million downloads within a year. The venture is the first time the club has developed its own video game in collaboration with the 3DDuo studio.
The game is based on the delightfully far-fetched notion of the PSG team bus being caught in a traffic jam, obliging the players to disembark and rush through the French capital to get to the Parc des Princes in time for kick-off. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Blaise Matuidi and colleagues accordingly find themselves in the streets of Montmartre, Concorde and even on the metro, avoiding obstacles, collecting footballs and showing off their skills. The game has 60 basic levels and, it is said, will be regularly updated.
Technology is emerging as a key battleground in efforts by leading clubs to deepen engagement with their respective fan-bases which are often far removed from the clubs’ physical locations.
PSG, whose prospects were transformed when Qatar Sports Investments took control in 2011, recently secured its third consecutive French championship title. Its women’s side were beaten finalists in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League, losing out to 1.FFC Frankfurt.
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