Fatal Fury & Cristiano Ronaldo

the background

the background

Following its acquisition of SNK, the MiSK Foundation saw a relaunch of the iconic Fatal Fury franchise as the most high-profile way to quickly reestablish the legendary Japanese game developer on a global stage.

client

Brief

Having been dormant for 26 years, the plan was to revive the Fatal Fury franchise with a new game – featuring a mix of returning characters alongside new additions, including a major name from the world of sports and entertainment.

Working with MiSK and SNK, we were tasked with identifying, negotiating and securing the talent to lead the marketing campaign and feature as a playable character in the game. Someone who would excite core fans and engage a new generation of players.

brand-first

Approach

Deleted: Using our experience with Free Fire and other leading game developers, we developed a strategic framework to ensure the successful launch of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, designed to deliver maximum impact across audiences and platforms.

Marketplace Understanding – Delivered a comprehensive 360-degree market analysis, highlighting how game developers were leveraging sports and entertainment strategies to drive awareness and monetisation. We identified what tactics would be most effective in addressing the specific goals of the Fatal Fury relaunch.
Talent Identification & Procurement – Conducted an in-depth review of available talent, assessing the strategic value of different profiles and different sports. We then led the negotiation of optimal marketing rights and commercial terms between Cristiano Ronaldo and MiSK/SNK.
Creative Agency Identification & Procurement – Advised on the most effective and creative production partners to support the campaign. Following a rigorous evaluation, we helped secure Passion Pictures.
360° Campaign Planning & Activation – Designed and executed a fully integrated launch plan. This included tailored social media rollout, original content production, and promotional plan for a series of Fatal Fury sponsored boxing events scheduled to amplify impact in launch week.

insights &

Impact

Building on the proven formula of pairing the right game with the right talent, the CR7 x Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves collaboration was a hit from the very first teaser through to launch week.

With over 1 billion followers, CR7’s global reach gave the teaser instant talkability. The launch cut across gaming, sports, and entertainment audiences – capturing the attention of both B2C and B2B stakeholders.

Launch week delivered widespread media coverage across gaming, sports, and mainstream outlets, generating over $500M in media value and sparking massive conversation online. Within just 48 hours of the Fatal Fury sponsored Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn fight, social posts featuring #FatalFury and #EubankBenn generated more than 20 billion global impressions.

We’re unable to share exact results due to confidentiality.

Get in touch to learn more