R/GA’s epic work for The Battle Cats has reached a riveting crescendo for the tower defence game. The Battle Cats have unveiled a double agent and the mastermind behind the chaos in the game’s 10th anniversary celebrations, adding a fresh layer of intrigue to its quirky storyline.
Taking on the roles of Cat Intelligence Agents (CIAs), players have been digging deep into clues across the game and social media to solve the mystery and unlock exciting rewards. Their mission: investigate 10 suspicious Cats, eliminate suspects, and crack the case to win Rare Tickets and catch the elusive spy.
The second chapter of the Mission Impawsible campaign, co-created by PONOS and R/GA, taps into spy thriller excitement to attract new players. R/GA’s global teams from Japan, the US, Argentina, Singapore, and Australia crafted this captivating espionage adventure.
Players made their accusations between October 7 and 14 for just US99¢, with the chance to win five Rare Tickets if their guess was correct, or three if they accused an innocent cat. These Rare Tickets could then be used to unlock the new Super Uber special character during the 10th anniversary Best of the Best festival.
After days of intense investigation, players discovered the true identity of the spy. Turns out, the sneaky saboteur was actually… Doge, The Battle Cats’ sworn enemy. As the mask comes off, Mohawk Cat is found safe and sound, chilling in the hotel refrigerator. Players claimed their accusation rewards directly from their in-game mailbox.
As the dust settled, Projector Cat announced a final mission: join the Best of the Best Festival. During this time, players will have a chance to win the new Uber Rare character, Trixi, through the fixed capsule machine. With the double agent caught and the capsule machines fixed, it’s officially time to celebrate the decade-long success of The Battle Cats.
Seiichiro Sano, managing director of PONOS, stated, “We wanted to make The Battle Cats’ 10th anniversary truly special, and Mission Impawsible captures the quirky, unpredictable essence of the game. Spy Cat brings a new layer of excitement, and it’s been incredible to see gamers fully engage with the mystery. The positive response shows just how much they love diving into this global spy adventure.”
Ari Halper, global head of creative excellence at R/GA, added, “Working with PONOS on Mission Impawsible was about pushing creative boundaries for a mobile game’s anniversary promotion. By tapping into the incredibly popular espionage/thriller genre, we were able to lure new audiences to the game, while staying true to the Battle Cat’s unique charm. All while entertaining current, returning and new players alike. And seeing players not only engage, but truly love the experience, has been hugely rewarding – it’s a testament to the power of combining storytelling with gameplay and promotion.”
The Mission Impawsible campaign, which spanned social media, paid media, and influencer posts, ran across English-speaking regions in September and October. Early results showed a remarkable 160% year-over-year increase in sales and a 130% year-over-year growth in daily active users. The campaign attracted over 2 million new users, reactivated 1.1 million lapsed users, and garnered 80,000 total votes.
The first episode Mission Impawsible:
Credits
Creative Innovation Company: R/GA
ECD, Global Head of Creative Excellence: Ari Halper
Executive Creative Directors: Ignacio Jardon, Masaya Nakade
Group Creative Director: Marta Caseny
Design Director: Nicholas Hannon
Associate Creative Director: Sim Yikloong
Group Strategy Director: Roana Brito
Associate Strategy Director: Corby Deglow
Senior Producer: Anton Karyakin
Executive Content Producer: Kyle Belcher
Managing Director, Japan: Anthony Baker
Group Account Director: Naru Kudo
Senior Copywriter: Alex Morris
Senior Visual Designer: Grace Kirby
Media Production: The Jacky Winter Group
Creative Directors: Dom Bartolo & Jamie Balliu
Animator: Bobby Dazzler
Designers & Animators: Andrew Gibbs, Jeric Illigan, Louis Majiwa
Producer: Nicola Pointer
Key Frame Design Support: Lilian Darmono
Illustrator: Jo Ley Producer: Katie Ayling
Producer: Liz McGillivray
Media & Creator Engagement: Livewire
More Battle Cats madness:
Final release_Who let the Doge out? R/GA and The Battle Cats reveal saboteur in anniversary caper
Since the original version of the game for the Japanese market was released in 2012, and the English version of The Battle Cats for English speaking fans in 2014, The Battle Cat has amassed more than 96 million downloads, and counting.
