Cataracta - NZZ Online Game
Cataracta (lat. waterfall) is a concept for a mobile game for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). The game is meant to be displayed instead of a regular paywall. When trying to read an article, the users can try to catch letters in the game and create words. Each word gives a certain amount of points. When the time is up, the users recieve a highscore to compete against other users and in addition, they can read one article per day for free.
As part of a module at the ZHdK we collaborated with the NZZ to create a concept for an online game. The task was to develop a game that had the potential to attract new customers, retain existing customers and help to engage a younger audience.
Year: 2024
Collaborators: Andrin Hess
Programs Used: Photoshop, Blender, Premiere Pro, After Effects
Supervision: Jeremy Spielmann
Game Concept
For my concept, I looked at the NZZ paywall, where most non-customers come into contact with the company. I asked myself how the paywall could be used to our advantage instead of driving potential customers away from the site. Therefore I developed a concept in which a mini-game is built directly into the paywall.
It was crucial that the game displayed on the paywall is as easy to understand as possible to keep the attention of an older audience. At the same time, the game had to be engaging and rewarding. The inspiration was googles T-Rex Runner, that starts when you don't have access to the internet. The game should not interrupt the user experience but start right away, when users enter the 'paywall'. I therefore opted for a mixture of Wordle and Tetris. Players have to form words from the falling letters to score points, all while under time pressure. An online high score is designed to provide competition and encourage users to come back.
The idea was that users could unlock one article per day by completing the mini-game. The free article serves as a reward for users. At the same time, a weekly high score challenges users to an online competition for a free subscription. Players must register to enter the competition, or they can just play a game and read an article. In both cases, customers are guided closer to the brand.
For the final presentation of the concept, I created an animation to showcase Cataracta.