RAZER levels up with game-mode transformations

Directed by Andrew P. Quinn through Bayonet, this fun series for RESPAWN Gum and Mints leans into a common gaming fantasy: what if players could level up in the real world? 

Set across four spots, the campaign, created by Critical Mass, builds a grounded world before pushing into something more cinematic, using environmental shifts and VFX-driven transformations to bridge reality and gameplay.

Shot in-studio over two days across four custom environments, the stories starts in lightly stylised versions of reality before introducing visual disruptions – wardrobe shifts, particle effects, and prop transformations – that signal a move into “game mode.” The characters feel authentic and youthful with playful details, avoiding more stereotypical portrayals of gamers. For Quinn, the focus extended beyond design into character.

“It was a really fun exercise in world building – not just in the sets, but in the characters, too. We wanted to take everyday people and let them evolve into something more elevated, while still feeling true to the audience.”

A key technical challenge came in the form of wardrobe swaps, triggered by the product as a “power-up” device.

“Clothing, weapons, even custom frog hands had to carry that transition from IRL into the game world. It all had to feel seamless and a little unexpected.”