Warner Bros. levels up ‘Wonka’ with Zynga mobile gaming play

Brief

Warner Bros. Pictures and game publisher Zynga have teamed to feature the forthcoming “Wonka” film in several Zynga games, including its popular Word With Friends franchise, according to a press release.
The gaming integrations will promote “Wonka” through custom in-game challenges, rewards and film content. In the Words With Friends 2 game, a Wonka avatar will challenge players to chocolate-themed Friendly Faceoff word games.
Consumers will also be able to access limited-time challenges and rewards in Wonka’s World of Candy and other related titles. The tie-up continues a 10-year partnership between Zynga and Warner Bros. around mobile gaming.

Dive Insight:

Mobile gaming remains a sought-after channel for promotion, with mobile devices having risen to be the most popular format for game play. Aside from Zynga’s “Wonka” tie-up, well-known entities like the World Surfing League and the Jonas Brothers have pursued similar mobile gaming activations this year.

The latest tie-up between Zynga and Warner Bros. extends a 10-year-long relationship that has included efforts around other properties, like “Harry Potter.” For its latest integration, a stylized “Wonka” avatar based on actor Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of the character in the upcoming film will challenge players of Words With Friends 2 to Friendly Faceoff word games. Players who win two games against the character will earn a themed frame to display on their player profile. Additionally, “Chocolatier” will be featured as the Word of the Day.

“Wonka,” which will make its debut Dec. 15, is expected to generate $35 million in its opening weekend. The effort between Zynga and Warner Bros. could help grow hype for the film while potentially tapping into new audiences. In total, “Wonka” will see integrations with four of the gaming publisher’s titles, per the release.

“We're always looking for new ways to bring engaging experiences to our players, and inviting our community to interact with one of the world's most beloved characters is a perfect golden ticket holiday surprise,” said Yaron Leyvand, executive vice president of games at Zynga, in release details.

Words with Friends, a word game with gameplay akin to Scrabble, launched with great popularity in 2009. In 2017, Zynga claimed more than 57 million “matches” were being played on the game at any given moment. That same year, the company launched Words with Friends 2, which had many new options for shorter and quicker gameplay. Since its launch, Words with Friends has expanded to platforms including Facebook Messenger.