It’s a unique project, and we are incredibly proud of it — not just the game itself but the nature of how it came to market. We wanted to share some information about both sides of the game before release.

So: what’s it all about? If you’ve been following @VoiceOfNightjar and her sister ships on Twitter, you’ll know we’re in space. You’re going to find yourself on a dying spaceship, circling a black hole, in all kinds of trouble. The game features the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s terrifying. And it’s our second “video game with no video,” the entire experience rendered in binaural 3D sound.

Producing high-quality games is enormous fun, and it’s also risky and costly. People expect great games, but in the world of iOS, expect to pay very little for them. There was some criticism of Papa Sangre’s launch cost of $5.99 — less than a sandwich, cinema ticket or paperback book — but it took a small and independent team over a year to create an entirely new mode of gameplay, and the technology to drive it. We are dedicated to producing truly beautiful games based on ideas that only an idiot would attempt, because … well, just because, and something had to give or it would never have been made.

So we’re delighted to have worked with AMV BBDO, who enabled The Nightjar to be made by exploring an innovative funding model — effectively really smart collaboration and sponsorship. We had total freedom to make the game we wanted to make, with no artistic compromises whatsoever beyond a terrifyingly short production cycle (10 weeks!), and best of all, the game will be free to download. In return, the game is part of Wrigley’s “The 5 Experience”, which is all about sensory experiences and an obvious match for how our audiogames work.

AMV were more than just a financial partner though. They have been collaborators: the guys who first suggested setting the game in space, and responsible for the stunning graphic identity for the project too, which also fits the 5 Experience look and feel (actually, helped define it).

They also enabled Benedict Cumberbatch to board The Nightjar.

Now, we learned a huge amount about telling stories inside the Papa Platform in our first game. For this new game we wanted not just to knock that particular ball out of the mythical park, but smack the sucker into orbit (sorry). Being able to call on the talent of someone who is surely one of the UK’s best actors has brought something very rare to The Nightjar.

“Dead Space with the lights off” it is not.

It has the presence and intimacy of the very best audiobook or radio play, only the main guy is talking to you. Not to your avatar in a game. You. The pace, the depth, the relationship between story and gameplay — the performance itself — we were able to explore all these things because we knew we had a totally bad-ass actor on the team.

So why is this only available in the UK and Ireland for now? Well, primarily because this kind of true collaborative engagement between a game design studio and brand is very new. Somethin’ Else is doing everything we can to get the game in the hands of our international supporters (who have been pestering us for more Papa Sangre!) as soon as we can. We would like to thank all our international fans for their patience — we truly value your support and positivity, and the excitement many have shown over The Nightjar!

Behind the Hit was a remix competition run by Nissan UK to promote the launch of the new Juke car model. The winning track, which was judged by and used samples of La Roux’s music, will be played for the first time at the gig in a DJ set by the band’s Elly Jackson. She is joined on the bill by Pony Pony Run Run, The Naked and Famous and Delphic. Host for the night is our very own Goldierocks.

You can watch the stream live from 8pm on your Spotify player or at the Behind The Hit site.

We were responsible for all the video content, commissioned by OMD, and tailored to specific European markets.

The campaign features a competition for up-and-coming music acts. Each act was presented with a car for a week and given a series of challenges to complete, such as making a music video, performing at fans’ houses and organising a flashmob gig.

Bands involved include French pop group Pony Pony Run Run, Spain’s The Pinker Tones, Bakkushan from Germany, and Italian DJ duo The Visitors Attak. Viewers will vote for the winning act, which will stage a special gig in their home town.

Read about our involvement in this campaign at Campaign, Brand Republic and New Media Age.

Here’s the first offering, which looks mostly at the wonderful world of shoes…

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at hats and a roundup of who’s wearing what on Derby Day.

Uniquely Fiat Punto Evo have also mentored 6 unsigned acts, training them up over a week and then putting them on TV! You can see some of our on-line films following that process here.

So for our last show we’re going out on a high with album chart topping act Plan B. Ben really got to grips with the curation of the show, booking his heroes Fun Lovin’ Criminals to play their classic Scooby Snacks. You can see the show on Channel 4 this Friday night / Saturday morning at 1 am.

The evidence is now available for all to see.

Those nice people at Fiat and their creative agency Krow Communications came to us and said “Would you like to make a new live music TV series with tonnes of on-line video?”

“Yes please!” we said.

Off we went and signed up a top notch presenter to present, Janie Valentine to produce and Phil Heyes to direct. With this ace team in place we’re now underway putting together a series that we hope will fill the gaping hole in current quality live music TV. Without spilling too many beans the show will feature an unsigned band every week that have been found through the Evo Music Rooms site. On-line we’ll be following the progress of these bands as they’re mentored for a week by music industry insiders. Voting for which bands appear on the TV show will be open shortly from a shortlist selected by the judges.

The series will feature exclusive performances from the some of the biggest current names in music (no, seriously, they were big enough for the BRITs) and starts on Channel 4 at the beginning of April.

We’ll let you know as soon as dates are confirmed but there’s more here.

It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.

We’re packing off twenty-three people from Somethin’ Else, relentlessly seeking out all the news and gossip from the stars, and working overnight to produce a highlights show which will be available the morning after the night before, and syndicated internationally (by our Syndication Manager Rob Poland) to twenty-five stations across the world.

Our video production crack team will also be down covering backstage in glorious HD multicamera, providing content for the official BRIT Awards site.

Even our talent is in on the gig: Goldierocks is presenting the backstage bits and pieces.

Get in touch with Rob Poland via our syndication page if you’d like to be part of the 2011 celebrations.

Speak to our digital team about online video and text content.