Heineken Launches StarPlayer

Today (April 27) Heineken, along with AKQA, officially launches its new, dual-screen, interactive Champions League game, StarPlayer.

StarPlayer utilises dual-screen interaction and allows the user, via their computer, iPhone or iPod Touch, to play the game while watching the football action live on their TV.  Created to transform televised football from a mainly passive experience into a socially interactive one, StarPlayer lets you anticipate probable outcomes during the live match and allocates points depending on the outcome. Playing purely against yourself, or in leagues against friends, StarPlayer is a frustratingly addictive game that tests your predictive and intuitive skills.

The innovative app comes after Heineken research showed that three quarters of men watching televised Champions League games do so alone and the desire was to interact with this group and allow them, in turn, to interact with the matches.  The increasingly popular phenomenon of dual-screening – watching TV while also using a computer/smartphone – should only increase the games popularity.

Floris Cobelens, global head of digital at Heineken said: “StarPlayer will really change the way in which football fans interact with the UEFA Champions League, creating a more social experience around watching and enjoying the matches.” While James Hilton, AKQA’s executive creative director, stated that “[StarPlayer] is the first time anyone has approached dual-screen technology in this way.”

To play the game users need to download the free StarPlayer app from the App Store or log on to the Heineken Facebook page.  Then, as a Champions League game starts questions are asked during free kicks, corners and penalties about the possible outcome.  There’s also a ‘score in the next 30 seconds’ button which, when pressed, means you’ll score big points if a team scores a goal in that time.  During lulls in play there are also trivia questions which also earn points.  shots.net got a sneak preview last night (26 April) at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium where the Schalke versus Manchester United game was screened and StarPlayer proved a huge hit with the assembled journalists and bloggers, and though shots.net didn’t cover itself in point-scoring glory, the game proved a hugely addictive and enjoyable addition to the match.