Recognition

Design at the Clio Entertainment Awards

Clio Entertainment has honoured AKQA with nine awards including a Grand, two Gold and six Silver Clio’s for Bethesda Softworks’ Starfield. The project underscores the exploration for those who look beyond their earthly boundaries and dare to dream.

Clio Entertainment is the leading celebration of creativity and innovation in the entertainment industry. Founded in 1971 by The Hollywood Reporter, the prestigious awards honour excellence in marketing and communications for film, television, live entertainment and gaming.

Grand and Gold, Design

Bethesda Softworks, Starfield Brand Identity

The brand spirit, forever in adventure, became the compass for a Starfield’s distinct visual identity, firmly rooted in the science and astronomy at the heart of the digital realm. This guiding principle charted the course for the art direction, grounded in the reality of celestial mechanics. The logo design, animation style, key art and all supporting materials evoke future technology while retaining the distinct mark of human ingenuity.

The brand aesthetic blends science and astronomy with a sense of endless wonder. Guiding principles underpinning this vision ensured every element was scientifically inspired, imbued with warmth, and resonated with unapologetic optimism and ambitious daring.

Starfield’s Launch Key Art garnered two Silver Clio’s for Key Art and Key Art Craft.

Gold, Integrated Campaign

Bethesda Softworks, Starfield Launch Campaign

Embark on a breathtaking journey through the stars, across the vast expanse of space in Starfield and uncover humanity’s greatest mystery. Wild Imagination follows a young girl whose curiosity encounter with a heroic explorer to reveal the adventures that await, accompanied by a stunning orchestral version of Elton John’s Rocket Man.

As the release date approached, strategic partnerships and striking visuals amplified the game’s message – highlighted by AKQA’s custom court design for the New York Liberty at Barclays Center and stage screen designs for Gamescom Opening Night Live.

The campaign succeeded against every key metric, instantly making Starfield Bethesda’s biggest release in history. On day one, it had already claimed more than 6 million players and, one week later, a monumental 10 million players called Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years home

Starfield’s Wild Imagination also received two Silver Clio’s in the Audio Visual category.

Silver, Audio Visual Campaign and Original Content

Bethesda Softworks, The Settled Systems

The animated anthology explores themes of new beginnings, hope and opportunity through a series of short films. The narratives offers a glimpse into the diverse planets, cultures, and backgrounds of the Starfield universe. These stories enrich the game’s existing lore, emphasising the human stories at the heart of its unique take on space science fiction.