The Challenge

Wizards of the Coast - the creators of Dungeons & Dragons - wanted to increase fan engagement and “celebrate the spirit of togetherness” by broadcasting a multi-day event that brought together the brightest D&D stars to a virtual roundtable and gave thousands of fans the opportunity to adventure with friends and solve puzzles in a virtual space.

Our Solution

DARKWOLF partnered with Siteline Productions to showcase D&D Live 2020 by combining star-studded D&D games and informative and entertaining panels featuring numerous celebrities and special guests. Nearly 100 remote guests’ feeds were brought into the studio with very few technical issues.

In addition to multi-day broadcasts, our development team created a portal where attendees could explore an interactive map of the fantasy world of Ten Towns, solve puzzles, sign up for live games, donate to charity, and participate in a live reality show experience. Attendees had the opportunity to be immersed in the world of Icewind Dale and explore what it has to offer while gaming with their friends and watching the main broadcast. Solving puzzles opened time-gated information that encouraged audience participation in the reality show. In addition to discoverable clues, characters posted stories of their whereabouts on Instagram, which provided another layer of engagement for viewers.

Overall, our approach allowed for an immersive and integrated multi-day experience for thousands of D&D fans and helped Wizards of the Coast drive engagement, as well as build community around their popular game. The success of D&D Live led to Wizards of the Coast coming back in September 2020 for help with producing D&D Celebration, which expanded on the initial D&D Live experience.