Gaming and luxury watches might not be an obvious fit but the sheer scale of the space and the evolving perception of 'gamers' is encouraging watch brands to experiment with this genre
One of the most pivotal moments in contemporary watch culture occurred in 1995, when, after years in hiatus, Pierce Brosnan stepped onto the screen as James Bond, with an Omega Seamaster on the wrist. The movie was great, but the product placement was greater. Jean-Claude Biver, then Omega's marketing man, negotiated a deal not just for the watch on Bond's wrist, but the right to advertise the fact. It didn't take long for James Bond to start appearing on Omega billboards all over the world, and pretty soon, the close relationship between the fictional spy and the dive watch was a major factor in changing perceptions of Omega, and making it relevant for the Bond franchise's younger audience. But more than this, it also changed the way luxury brands thought about the entertainment industry.
James Bond Omega Seamaster
Jean-Claude Biver was a pioneer of this sort of product endorsement, but he missed something. The video game GoldenEye 007. Developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64, GoldenEye 007, at the time of its release in 1997, was not expected to excel. Film franchise game tie-ins had a long history of being terrible, and the expectations for this game were low. However, GoldenEye 007 turned out to be an exceptional, innovative game. Not only was it a commercial success, it pioneered the first-person shooter format on consoles, as well as split-screen multiplayer. On top of this, the game featured a solid narrative and evocative score that captured, and built upon, the world of Bond.
Playing a surprisingly central role in the gameplay is James Bond's watch. You look at it whenever you pause, and, besides playing what is some of the most evocative pause music ever laid down, displayed health, ammunition and the like. The watch is clearly an Omega Seamaster — albeit in the blocky polygonal style of 90s computer design. Still, you can't mistake the helium escape valve, or the five-link Seamaster bracelet. However, there's no Omega branding to be seen. In retrospect, you can forgive Biver for his oversight, as the games industry was, in many ways, very young. But make no mistake, if he was inking his deal today, gaming integration would be front and center.
Twenty years on, and the games industry, in America at least, is bigger than movies and music combined, and showing no signs of slowing down. Games franchises are household names, Twitch streamers are coming into their own as an entirely new type of celebrity, and luxury watch brands are finally catching up. The fact that perceptions of gaming culture have moved beyond the image of nerdy otaku has gone a long way in the mainstreaming of gaming. But the pairing of Swiss watchmakers with bleeding-edge gaming culture isn't a natural one, as watch brands are, by product and habit, traditional. However, games, and the money around them, are becoming increasingly impossible to ignore, especially considering that fashion has led the way. The natural entry point for many of these brands has been the world of competitive esports.
Louis Vuitton Final Fantasy Watch
Louis Vuitton was an early mover in the space, partnering with Final Fantasy in 2015, and more recently League of Legends, initially in the form of in-game skins and later in 2019 as part of a real-world collection. Gaming and technology journalist Alice Clarke acknowledges the appeal of gaming spaces to fashion brands; "Fashion brands have always wanted to be where the people are, and almost everyone under the age of 50 is a gamer now. Games are a place where people can express their creativity without limits, so of course, they would want access to the latest luxury and fashion items.
Gucci and Fnatic Limited Edition Dive Watch
If Louis Vuitton was first out of the gate, other brands weren't far behind. Gucci released a limited edition watch with esports franchise Fnatic — a diver with a black and orange bezel to match Fnatic'c colors. In a pleasing example of organic synergy, the double G logo stands in nicely for the ubiquitous shorthand of 'GG', or good game. It's also good business for Gucci, Fnatic, which has been around since 2004, is one of the biggest names in esports and counts BMW among its partners.
Louis Vuitton and Gucci are examples of how luxury players are working in the lucrative esports space to leverage the high profiles of teams, leagues and players, but it isn't the only way of integrating into the gaming space.
Swatch in Ubisoft's Far Cry 6
Swatch group stalwart Hamilton has taken a more direct route, working with Ubisoft's Far Cry 6, the most recent installment of the first-person shooter, which includes the not-inconsiderable talents of Giancarlo Esposito as the antagonist. A limited edition 42mm titanium Khaki field watch is familiar territory for the brand—except for the subtly stylized '6' numeral. This is pretty par for the course, but where things get interesting is that your character in Far Cry 6 can wear the exact same watch, one of many 'wrist gear' options that looks good and offers the tangible benefit of 'greatly improved general defense while sprinting', something I suspect my real-world watches don't offer.
Tag Heuer Mario Watch
TAG Heuer has also made some gaming-themed limited editions in recent years, but their approach has been quite different. They've gone straight to what is arguably the most iconic gaming property ever, Nintendo's Mario. Not only are Mario and friends still relevant with the younger audience that TAG Heuer is so bullish in courting, but it also resonates with an older, nostalgia-heavy audience. The original Super Mario Bros was released in 1985, making the first generation of fans in their 40s and 50s. Not only is it a smart partnership, but by making the initial offering a special Connected Watch, which used Mario to highlight the fitness features of the device, it leverages showcases one of TAG Heuer's smartwatch, and also brings TAG Heuer to the attention of those who may never considered the brand. It's not too often you see TAG Heuer covered in The Verge and Wired. From all accounts, the collaboration was a commercial success too, and I'd be amazed if its the last time we see the Italian plumber on a Swiss watch.
Panerai and Razor Watch
One of the more interesting luxury/gaming collaborations is between Panerai and Razer, known for their gaming PCs and peripherals. Visually, there's a decent fit here, as the bright green of luminous numerals looks a lot like Razer's green logo. It turns out that this isn't the only shared green between the two. The gist of this collab seems to be working on conservation initiatives, which has become Panerai's major strategic focus in recent years. It doesn't make too much sense to me, but who knows where it might end up.
The Future of Luxury Watches in Video Games
The future of luxury watches in games isn't without its risks. Clarke points out that authenticity is key, and that the gaming audience is "extremely online and very savvy. They know when they're being sold something." While micro-transactions have become a largely accepted evil in gaming, the optics of using a video game to shill a multi-thousand-dollar watch could be bad. If memes have taught us anything, it's that trying too hard, and being inauthentic is potentially a fate worse than permadeath.
One final part of the puzzle is that of ambassadors. An integral part of any luxury marketing strategy. In the world of gaming, the celebrities are the streamers, and while they aren't quite household names, streamers like Ninja, Rubius and Pokimane are big business, and endorsements are part of that business. So far, we haven't spotted many ROs on Twitch, but it can only be a matter of time. On whether Streamers make effective brand ambassadors, Alice Clarke notes; "It really depends on the audience you're trying to attract and the streams and esports players you choose. No matter what medium you're in, it's all about finding the person who embodies your brand and has an audience who would be interested. There is a streamer and esports player out there for nearly every brand, some with millions of followers; you just need to find the right one. It's not as easy as someone like Ryan Gosling, but their audience feels more connected to streams and esports stars than anyone would to a Hollywood celebrity."
The connection with the community is the big drawcard with streamers and esports stars—rather than strict brand awareness. But there's always a risk. Compared to the 'safe' bets of professional sports, actors and the like, the streaming category is quite young, and, in many ways, built off the whims of the algorithm, which is fed by controversy, among other things. While the drama might be great for subscriptions and clicks, it's a more delicate line to walk for associated brands, especially the notoriously conservative Swiss.
Gaming and luxury watches might not be an obvious fit, but the space has changed exponentially since 007 wore his blocky dive watch in the Nintendo classic, but the sheer scale of the space and the evolving perception of 'gamers' means that it's a space with huge potential. A new James Bond Game is in development, and the chances are good that this time around, the watch will say Omega on the dial.
