Dive Brief:

• "The Mummy" debuts today as a major summer blockbuster, but Universal Pictures is also preparing digital tie-ins in virtual reality (VR), mobile and console games, per a joint press release.
• Universal is making a strategic push into games and felt "The Mummy" was the “perfect place to start,” according to Chris Heatherly, executive vice president of Worldwide Games and Digital Platforms, Universal Brand Development, in the press release.
• The VR experience is called The Mummy Prodigium Strike and is a location-based game created by Starbreeze Studios. The mobile game is called The Mummy Dark Universe Stories created by Night School Studio, and the console game is called The Mummy Demastered created by WayForward. 

Dive Insight:

Universal’s gaming strategy around promoting "The Mummy" is serving double duty for the studio. It complements the marketing around the movie with the VR experience available for purchase at IMAX VR centers in Los Angeles and New York City and the mobile game coming out later this month. The console game will launch in late August, driving ongoing interest in the film at a time when it is likely to have moved out of theaters and is awaiting a DVD release. The games also provide a content footprint for the movie beyond its theatrical release. On the other side of the strategy, the movie and its creative elements provide Universal with a natural starting point for its push into gaming.

The effort is the latest example of that movie studios are getting creative with their marketing efforts around blockbuster films, perhaps because there is a steady stream of blockbusters over the summer months and entertainment marketers are looking for a way to stand out. Another example is how Warner Bros. is promoting "Wonder Woman." The studio appears to have scaled on traditional promotions and instead focusing on a comprehensive social media and merchandising strategy.

"The Mummy" project comes from Universal Brand Development, a business segment of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, that expands Universal’s intellectual properties, franchises, characters and stories via physical and digital products, content, and consumer experiences.