Atari, a legendary name in gaming, partnered with UberStrategist to support Yars Rising, a bold new entry in its long-running Yars franchise. Unlike its predecessors, Yars Rising is an action platformer, which departs from previous games in the series.
The goal of our six-month campaign was to introduce the game to players unfamiliar with the original Atari 2600 titles and generate strong press interest in the lead-up to launch.
Yars Rising was revealed during a Nintendo showcase, giving us early momentum and strong visibility out of the gate. We built on this with a targeted PR campaign focused on securing Tier 1 press coverage and selectively offering previews to the most aligned outlets.
We emphasized the pedigree of developer WayForward and Atari’s legacy to reach fans of action platformers and Metroidvania games. Our strategy also included positioning Yars Rising as a high-profile indie title with standout appeal at Summer Game Fest and IGN Live.
Our campaign helped Yars Rising become one of Atari’s most publicized releases in years. The game earned nearly unanimous praise from preview coverage at Summer Game Fest Play Days and was featured in a packed developer panel during IGN Live that saw the highest attendance during the event.
During the campaign, we secured coverage in outlets such as Rolling Stone, Game Informer, GamesRadar+, Gamereactor, Digital Trends, Nintendo Life, GameSpot, TheGamer, and Video Games Chronicle. Through high-impact media placements and strong event visibility, we positioned Yars Rising as a breakout title for a new generation of fans.
"As a celebration of Atari’s storied history as a gaming pioneer, Yars Rising looks to be a perfect blend of old school sensibilities and modern ease of play wrapped in an anime-inspired cyberpunk vibe befitting its Eighties era soul."