Ubisoft has teamed up with Oceana, the world's foremost international ocean conservation organization, to launch an unprecedented charitable event - Waves of Change - within its latest game, Skull and Bones, released February 16.
For this initiative, Ubisoft selected French gaming creative agency Biborg following a competitive pitch to orchestrate the operation and rally players behind the vital cause of preserving marine ecosystems.
Skull and Bones is the co-op pirate open world action RPG with a focus on naval combat that has gained great tractions among the gaming community worldwide.
Inspired by the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy, the game follows the player’s journey as they build their name across the seas to rule as the most fearsome pirate kingpin and build their own empire.
Through March 31, Skull and Bones players are invited to join the "Waves of Change" event. For every foe vanquished as they traverse the Indian Ocean to fulfill their pirate destiny, Ubisoft will make a donation to Oceana, with the goal of raising 300,000€ to support the preservation of underwater ecosystems.
The event is part of Ubisoft's commitment as a founding member of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme.
As experts passionate about the gaming universe, Biborg's teams crafted all of the elements for the initiative’s communication, including the visual identity, promotional film, a dedicated landing page, content creator engagement mechanics, as well as content designed for social networks. The agency proposed an innovative and relevant concept that aligned the cause with the game and player engagement, instrumental in Ubisoft's selection.
Mobilizing Ubisoft’s communities for the planet through games is an essential pillar of the company’s environmental commitment, Play Green. It complements Ubisoft’s rigorous approach to reducing its carbon emissions and contributing to global carbon neutrality.
Ubisoft set a science-based target in line with the Paris Agreement to help limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2030, which was validated by the Science-Based Target Initiative, and the company has committed to reducing its absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2020 base year.
"At Ubisoft, we're committed to leveraging the power of games to raise awareness and drive action on environmental issues. The future of our planet is truly in our hands, and I am personally very proud to put the spotlight on Oceana's missions by promoting the importance of preserving marine ecosystems to a broad audience. This campaign was made possible through close collaboration with over 50 partners from 12 different internal teams and with the support of Biborg, who have crafted a truly memorable campaign!" recalls Jonathan Bendel, Sr. WW Creator Campaigns Manager at Ubisoft.
"Waves of Change" is more than a charitable event; it’s a call to action to protect our oceans, united by the power of video games. After 12 years of successful collaboration with Ubisoft, we are honored to work on such a significant project. Our passion for video games and our expertise in creating engaging campaigns allowed us to develop a mechanic that resonates with the mission of Oceana and Ubisoft's values," concludes Cyrian Thomas, Lead Account Director at Biborg.
“The oceans are in trouble because of human-caused threats like climate change, plastic pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction,” said Jon Frank, Director, Global Corporate & Celebrity Partnerships, Oceana.“Thankfully, they are resilient too. Together with Ubisoft, we hope ‘Waves of Change’ inspires people to join Oceana and help us rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans.”
