Doritos has announced that it has teamed up with Microsoft to offer Xbox 360 gamers an opportunity to come up with a new Xbox Live Arcade game. Doritos, a division of PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, is one of the leading consumer brands, and the tie-up with Microsoft will see a return of ‘Unlock Xbox’, the innovative video game design contest which gives players creative control. The Unlock Xbox contest first sprang up in 2007 and led to the creation of the first such game, titled ‘Doritos Dash of Destruction’. The game even went on to become the fastest ever Xbox Live Arcade title to reach a million downloads.
“We are always looking for new ways to connect with fans and give them unique opportunities to express their creativity in a way only Doritos and our partners can deliver,” commented Ann Mukherjee, group vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay. “Many of the people who love Doritos also love gaming, and this innovative program gives our fans a chance to live their dreams.”
“By bringing their brand to the Xbox Live audience, Doritos has the opportunity to reach a subscriber base of more than 20 million.” Mark Kroese, general manager of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Advertising Business Group explained. “The first ‘Dinosaur Dash of Destruction Game’ was a record breaker in terms of first week downloads. We’re excited to see what this round of creativity brings.”
Xbox 360 gamers in North America can now submit game ideas which capture the bold and intense spirit of the Doritos brand. Their idea could be turned into the next big Xbox Live Arcade title. Ten quarter-finalists will get to compete as they bring their game concepts to reality. But eventually, only two will be made into Xbox Live Arcade titles which will be released in the fall of 2010.
Persons will be judged by the “Godfather of Gaming” and there will even be an online voting round, and one fan-selected winner will receive a 50,000 USD gaming consultant project for Doritos. Fans who log on to cast their votes between November 29, 2009 and December 31, 2009, will have a chance to win great prizes.
Doritos is also announcing a partnership to turn pro football’s combine concept into a video game. The Doritos MLG Skills Combine will be a nationwide contest where amateur players will be pushed by MLG League pros and officials. In addition, Doritos has offered various other opportunities including ‘The Quest’, ‘Doritos Late Night’, and the Doritos ‘X-13D Flavor Experiment’.