Activision and independent creative agency Emotive transformed Sydney’s Carriageworks into an immersive, sold-out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launch experience on October 17 and 18, drafting hundreds of fans into opposing North and South territories divided by a giant DMZ fence.
That stark physical division set the tone for the weekend, as the Korean peninsula-inspired event sold out in less than 24 hours and left hundreds of hopeful fans on the waiting list.
Inside the Carriageworks DMZ Fence
Recruits entering the Sydney venue received military permits and split into two distinct factions. Each territory demanded specific operational duties. Pitch-black shipping containers hosted covert night-vision operations where attendees tracked down enemy operatives and secured hidden contraband. Other recruits underwent strict state portrait sessions where smiling was explicitly forbidden, alongside mandatory military-style haircuts.
Every completed mission earned participants physical stamps toward increasingly high-value rewards. Midway through the activation, recruits faced high-stakes defection windows. They could abandon all accumulated stamps and progress to cross the fortified border, switching allegiances entirely.
Up above the operational zones, players accessed early versions of the Modern Warfare 4 campaign. They battled through missions on a large stage overlooking the live tactical footprint below.
Amplification Through Creator Networks
The physical footprint at Carriageworks scaled rapidly across digital channels through a targeted creator strategy. Campaign Brief noted that the activation enlisted 50 prominent creators spanning gaming, comedy, sports, and entertainment. Figures including Marty & Michael, Safar Bros, Brodie Pawson, Fonzie Gomez, Nathan Lust, and Jono Castano brought a combined audience footprint exceeding nine million followers to the venue.
These creators generated more than 200 distinct pieces of on-site content over the two-day activation. That digital push propelled the launch straight into social feeds across Australia. A collaborative post between Nathan Lust and Jonny Tuivasa-Scheck pulled in 4.1 million organic views.
Gavin McLeod, chief creative officer at Emotive, addressed the reception from the community.
“We wanted to put everyone right in the middle of it. Give them a highly immersive experience, missions to complete and a chance to have a bit of fun. We were overwhelmed by the immense positivity we felt from Call of Duty fans at the event.”
Emotive Handles Production for Activision Debut
The Sydney pop-up marked Emotive’s debut project for Activision. The agency handled strategy, creative direction, earned media, talent procurement, and production through its in-house arm, Emotive Productions. To secure nationwide reach, Emotive paired with Activision’s media agency, Avenue C, ensuring amplification was baked into the campaign strategy from day one.
