Fans love Riot's latest hit - here's 5 things your brand can learn from it.

As someone who grew up around gaming and eventually esports, this is one of those pieces of content I won't soon forget. It has been a long time since a piece of content really hit me 'in the feels' so to speak, and Riot's latest music video to promote Valorant Champions 2023 hit all the right notes.

To be fair, it had the element of surprise. Riot has a history of hot music collabs. And I saw the title (Ticking Away), the artist (Grabbitz & bbno$) and I sat down to get ready to watch a banger music video. And they delivered. The track is sick, great beats and a smooth flow that somehow makes me want to jump into game. It is a nice progression from Die For You - the previous champions theme also by Grabbitz.

Before I break down the synopsis and what makes it really click - you will want to watch the film if you haven't already.

What really got me was the storytelling. It was authentic, it was compelling, it was vulnerable and it may be the first time I have seen someone really capture the esports journey in such a powerful format.

The film starts off as we see a player on a Valorant team about to take part in a match on stage at Champions 2023. But that scene is a quick flash as we quickly go from that moment right back into his childhood. It is clear we are going to follow his journey to that moment. But the beauty and mastery is in the details.

We see a collection of scenes of the kids growing up together. Showing their friendship in all aspects, not just gaming. But of course, as they grow up, gaming start to become more and more of a focal point. What is really special, though, are some of the themes and easter eggs that appear in the early stages of the film and will make an impact later.

One such example is the octopus toy they capture from the UFO Capture at the arcade. They almost give up, but decide to go for ONE MORE try using their last token - this sets the stage for the theme of the film, and the message that will inspire our hero. One more.

Easter eggs like tactibear - a popular character in Valorant lore (much like the counterstrike chicken) appearing in the machine are a nice nod to fans as well.

The kids turn the garage at one of their homes into a makeshift gaming/LAN space - and it becomes their home base. They start to cook. Making up strats, playing and grinding together and growing together. There is a period of time where gaming becomes your life, and your gaming buddies turn into lifelong friends.

This is a great reference to all who grew up in gaming. We remember those days and nights spend as kids diving DEEP into the games we love. These are the moments all gamers look back on fondly.

Unfortunately, though, our hero moves out of that town - his family home is sold. It a moment that hit me particularly hard. I grew up in Singapore - and as an international kid, having good friends move away was always crushing. I also experienced it as I left Singapore for Canada in the 3rd grade. At that age, it is such a tough blow.

But our hero, in this undeniably tough time, turns to gaming. And that theme comes back - One More - as we see him grinding and pushing himself even further in esports.

This leads to the climax of the film - as we realise that our hero whose journey we have been following has been signed to an esports team and will be playing in VCT  Champions 2023. It is a powerful moment in the film, and you see the emotions of the player - tears welling up in his eyes. This is important as it is something not often brought up or shown in esports. It is an incredibly passion-filled industry, and seeing the protagonist show that emotion really hit home.

As he plays his heart out on stage, the camera cuts to his childhood friends in the audience watching him perform. And Riot captured the mix of emotions one feels while watching esports perfectly. The nervous intense energy of the first girl, the hyped excitement of the second guy, the pure joy in the third and that slightly detached emotion on the last guy - that feeling of I can't believe it. One of us made it. The film closes on the signatures of the players in VCT Champions 2023, and leaves us feeling hyped for the event, and also invested in the esports journey.

I did promise 5 things brands can learn but I felt the need to really go in detail on the film first. So without further adieu -

1. Riot Games is player-first, but we all should be.
   This film is a masterpiece and connects so well with fans because of how well Riot understand their audience, and how much they genuinely have them at the heart of everything they do. You can tell that they clearly understand the gamers' journey, the ups and downs and the insightful story that no gamer makes it alone is incredibly powerful.
   
   If you want to make compelling storytelling to target the gaming audience, make sure you put the gamer first. Think of it from their point-of-view and try to create something that will mean something to them. Rather than something that just says what your brand wants to say.
   
2. The Details matter. A LOT.
   To non-gamers, you might not feel like there was a ton of detail in this film. Yes the animation is awesome, the song is great and the story is moving. But gamers see it different. We know.
   
   We pay attention to the details. We notice the tactibear in the UFO machine. We notice the name of the arcade. We realise that the strats called during the actual end tournament scene were the same planned when they were kids in the garage. We notice that the ONE MORE tape he has on stage is the same one they had in the garage.
   
   Gamers  notice details. It is one of the best ways you can show that you understand, is to care about them too.
   
3. Simple is the GOAT (iykyk).
   One of the things I especially loved about this film is that it stays simple. I can imagine this story or something similar has happened to so many esports pros out there, and it WILL happen to so many gamers in the future. It isn't a story that tries too hard. They didn't try to overcook the plot and insert a whole bunch of twists and turns that are unnecessary. Simple always works when done well, and they did it masterfully. And if you don't understand the title of this point, just google Simple is the goat. :)
   
4. Real, honest, authentic emotion.
   This film touched so many gamers. I can't remember a swell of social response quite as positive or passionate as this film generated in quite some time. Especially among this audience. And I belive it is for one reason - the emotion is HONEST.
   
   They didn't try to manufacture emotion. No one dies in the film. They let the emotion be centred around the player and the game, and the moment. This is why we could all relate and we could all feel it. It takes confidence and bravery to trust your ability to tell a story with honest emotion, resisting the urge to try to force tears through trauma. |
   
5. Understanding modern execution and craft.
   You can have a beautiful story, with honest and real emotion that connects with gamers but at the end of the day if it is told in an old-fashioned manner it may still miss the mark. The creative team at Riot clearly understood the current trends in gaming culture - the music is a beautiful and compelling collaboration between two artists whose style is definitely 2023.
   
   And the art direction and animation is a stunning blend of east meets west - a sort of LA hip-hop anime vibe that I fell in love with. They crushed it.
   
6. (Bonus) They spoke to one audience, but also spoke to us all.
   I think it is a huge point to make - and I just couldn't stop at 5. Riot Games did a spectacular job of creating a film that told the story of a young gamer growing up in LA and becoming a pro.
   
   But they did it in a way that could connect with people from all parts of the world. They kept the film silent and let the medium of a music video carry the audio. They made the casting diverse (yet not to the point of feeling forced). They used an art style that crossed the globe - connecting east and west. Which is something concept artist Johnson Ting referenced in my recent interview with him as a point of inspiration for many.
   
   So when creating for gamers - do remember you want to try to craft a story that speaks to a particular gamer, but can make all gamers feel like they are part of it.