The New Call of Duty Ad Shows You How to Take Gaming Way, Way Too Far

Is it possible to be too steeped in game play and alternate realities, allowing them to bleed over in an unhealthy way into every part of daily life? Not according to these hardcore friends, who take their challenge as 1940s European resistance fighters everywhere they go, beeping Morse code to each other in the office elevator, holding clandestine meetings in dark conference rooms and eating paper messages at a diner. Colleagues and waitresses are not amused. [kickout id="1"] This cheeky snapshot of gamer culture comes via a new long-form ad for Activision's Call of Duty: WWII downloadable content pack (The Resistance) that debuts Tuesday on PlayStation 4, featuring "new maps, a new War Mode mission and a new chapter of Nazi zombies," says the publisher. From agency 72andSunny and filmmakers Will Speck and Josh Gordon (Blades of Glory, The Switch, Office Christmas Party), the live-action mini-movie follows three unselfconsciously serious players as they "live the spirit of the resistance." That involves wasting company time, making public spectacles of themselves and locking their friend in a hallway because he forgot the secret password. (It's "hitchhiker's mustache," pal. Remember?) The spot comes on the heels of another live-action ad for Call of Duty: WWII, which launched last fall. "Reassemble" takes a page from big screen flicks like Ocean's Eleven, putting an eclectic squad of gaming experts back together with ample straight-faced humor and slow-motion shots. The two-and-a-half-minute short made for the U.S. has more than 4.5 million views on YouTube alone, with popular regionally tweaked versions running in the U.K. and France. Expect more fan-facing news this week from Activision, ad agency execs say, as The Resistance rolls out on other platforms. CREDITS Client: Activision Chief Executive Officer: Eric Hirshberg Chief Marketing Officer: Tim Ellis SVP, Global Consumer Marketing: Todd Harvey Director, Consumer Marketing: David Blaser 72andSunny Team Creative Co-Chair, Founder: Glenn Cole Group Creative Director: Matthew Curry Creative Director/Designer: Ben Hodgin Creative Director/Writer: Josh Braithwaite Senior Designer: Juri Zaech Senior Writer: Samuel Moore Executive Producer: Zeynep Taslica Jr. Producer: Erika Ruiz Group Brand Director: Simon Hall Brand Director: Mandy Wakimoto Brand Manager: William Nader Brand Coordinator: Tanya Zaccaro Group Strategy Director: John Graham Strategy Director: Daniel Teng Strategist: Alex Morrison Partnerships and Legal Director: Kallie Halbach Partnerships and Legal Manager: Jesse Sinkiewicz Partnerships and Legal Coordinator: Kelsey Buehler Production Company: Furlined Director: Speck & Gordon DP: Frank Lasse EP: David Thorne Line Producer: Greg Schultz Editorial Company: Cabin Editor: Graham Turner Managing Partner: Carr Shilling Editorial Producer: Liz Lydecker Assistant Editor: Randy Baublis Visual Effects Company: Method Studios Executive Producer: Cara Lehr Producers: Stephanie Allis Lead Flame Artist: Rachel Moorer Postproduction Company: Co3 Colorist: Tom Poole EP: Ashley McKim Producer: Audio Post Production Company: Lime Mixer: Jeff Mullen EP: Susie Boyajan Mophonics Music Creative Director – Stephan Altman Composer Shea Duncan