I Am Playr

I Am Playr was a first person association football video game with social network elements. It was available on the social–networking website Facebook. Jointly developed by We R Interactive and Big Balls Productions, the gamer plays as a professional footballer in a first-person perspective taking in events both on and off the football pitch that featured full motion video cutscenes.

I Am Playr
I Am Playr logo
Developer(s)We R Interactive / Big Balls Productions
Platform(s)Browser / Unity / Adobe Flash
ReleaseMarch 21, 2011
Genre(s)Sports, Full motion video based game
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

The main gameplay is in first-person, with the player deciding the actions of the character on and off the football pitch who plays for the fictional football team "River Park F.C.".[1][2] In-match gameplay consists of scrolling text before switching to the first-person perspective as the player character gets chances on goal.[3] Between games there is the opportunity to gain match fitness points by completing training exercises.[4]

The season starts with the player character signing for River Park F.C., before moving on to the training ground to practise shooting skills. The in-game football show "Goal Mouth" also appears from time to time with Lee Dixon and Andy Townsend appearing as pundits. Virtual in-game items can improve the performance of the main character, in particular the three main statistics of accuracy, power and curl.[5]

Revenue is generated by players purchasing equipment in the game, and from brand sponsorship.[1] Several professional footballers make a cameo appearance in the game, including former Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham,[6] Tottenham Hotspur's Aaron Lennon and Arsenal's Theo Walcott.[4] In December new features were added including free kick practice with Gary McAllister and appearances from Mark Noble. In 2016 the game had been deleted.

Development

We R Interactive was originally backed by film producer Eric Fellner of Working Title Films and Fru Hazlitt of ITV.[2] I Am Playr was revealed for the first time in November 2010, being billed as "the first–ever point–of–view football game".[2] It is the company's first product.[7]

We R Interactive worked together with the film company Big Balls Productions and Boss Reece for the interactive video elements of the game,[8] the beta version of which took nine months to design and build.[3] Co-founder of We R Interactive, Dave Rose said of the video elements, "Film gives us the ability to build characters and bring a more visceral feel to the interactive experience".[8] During the closed beta, initial sponsors were found in the forms of Nike, Inc. and Red Bull,[9] with Ginsters also being in-game sponsors on the fictional football team's kit, even though they sponsor Plymouth Argyle's shirts in real life.[10][11] Alfa Romeo were added as an additional sponsor in May 2011, with their branding featured in in-game matches on sponsorship boards, and the Alfa Romeo MiTo being featured as a new gaming element.[12] Bookies Betfred were also involved allowing players to bet on Premier League matches, and money won from bets was added to the player's cash.

In May 2011 a series of investors put a collective £3.1 ($5) million, including former England international footballer Lee Dixon.[12] Dixon had also been added to the game's storylines, where he said of his role, "I’m excited to be adding my own real-life football experience – both on and off the pitch – to the game’s storylines."[11]

An affiliate marketing scheme has been created called "I Am Scout", where football bloggers and sites can sign up to access promotional items and content. A logging system of recording the goals scored by players signed up through those sites had entered the "scouts" in a leaderboard with the winner going on a trip to watch Real Madrid play.[13]

Reception

Reviewing the beta version in April 2011, Chris Derrer of PopFodder.com described I Am Playr as "horrendously addictive" and closed the review by recommending players to "Play it, love it, obsess over it. We have."[4] However Alexander Bevier of Joystick Division had concerns about the novelty of the full motion video "wear[ing] thin".[14]

References
  1. Garside, Juliette (13 May 2011). "British rival to FarmVille maker gains more high-profile investors". The Guardian. London.
  2. Kumar, Nikhil (22 November 2010). "Small Talk: Madagascar Oilgets set to bring its island story to AIM". The Independent. London.
  3. Chula, Jesse (11 April 2011). "I AM PLAYR: A New Chapter In Interactive Soccer Games". EPL Talk.
  4. Derrer, Chris (25 April 2011). "Review: I AM PLAYR". PopFodder.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011.
  5. "I Am Playr: Football from a new Perspective". Sunday Sidelines. 17 May 2011.
  6. "I AM PLAYR kicks off in January". Gamergeddon. 9 December 2010.
  7. "David Rose". The Guardian. London. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  8. "I Am Playr / Immersive Football Game". Contagious. 23 November 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011.
  9. Restarick, Michael (14 March 2011). "Preview: I AM PLAYR". Soccer Gaming. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  10. "Ginsters takes up shirt sponsorship opportunity for I Am Playr game". The Drum. 10 January 2011.
  11. "Lee Dixon snapped up for I AM PLAYR game". The Drum. 23 May 2011.
  12. Farey-Jones, Danieletitle=Alfa Romeo to be I Am Playr's car of choice (27 May 2011). MediaWeek http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/bulletin/mediapm/article/1072194/?DCMP=EMC-MediaPMBulletin. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. "We R Interactive launches affiliate campaign for I Am Playr". UTalk Marketing. 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  14. Bevier, Alexander (2 December 2010). "I Am Playr Offers First-Person Soccer". Joystick Division.
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