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From TV to Fortnite: How Alche Created Run for Money in Collaboration with Fuji Culture X
The Fortnite Team
In our Creator Spotlight series, we share the stories of how creators successfully marketed their UEFN islands, to inspire the community to build and promote their own.
Note: While we highlight the success stories of creators in our spotlight series, it's important to acknowledge that not every creator will have access to similar opportunities or collaborations. The paths to success vary greatly depending on a range of factors.
When a massively popular Japanese television show and an inspired team of Fortnite creators come together, anything is possible.
Alche is a Tokyo-based team of creators that specialize in interactive entertainment experiences made with Unreal Engine. Through their inventive work, they’ve been recognized on a global scale and been given the opportunity to collaborate with massive brands.
As part of an ongoing collaboration with Japanese media company Fuji TV, Alche was invited to build a gamified experience as part of a larger campaign celebrating the 20th anniversary of the popular series Run For Money. They worked alongside Fuji Culture X Inc., a digital entertainment company of the Fuji Sankei Group.
The concept for their island, where players are divided into Runners and Hunters in a hide-and-seek inspired gameplay experience, was inspired by Fortnite tag islands. With this foundation in-mind, Alche then integrated the Run For Money intellectual property (IP) into the mechanics of their game. Alche says, “Rather than a half-hearted reproduction of the TV show, we focused on paying homage to the show.”
“We recorded voiceovers with the same voice actors and pursued the same game mechanics. At the same time, we respected Fortnite’s unique style by using Fortnite assets and creating a Japanese Odaiba setting that felt authentic to Fortnite players. . . . Balancing fidelity to the original content with what resonates with Fortnite users is key to successful integration.”
Alche chose to use Fortnite and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) for this project because “Fortnite offers beautiful graphics and a wide range of expressive possibilities compared to other UGC platforms.” Alche adds that they “aimed to recreate the actual Run for Money IP as closely as possible, making models that resembled the original characters while ensuring they fit into the Fortnite aesthetic.”
Once the team had built out the experience, they shifted their focus to marketing. They were in a position to collaborate with the IP holders directly to promote and share the island with players. They planned a one-month campaign and released the island alongside a 20th anniversary event for Run For Money.
Alche created the above gameplay trailer in Japanese to promote the activation. This spoke directly to their target audience and introduced them to the island’s gameplay while also taking a creative approach. The trailer was narrated, which adds a layer of excitement and anticipation for players.
Speaking about the activation’s incredible success, the team shared that “the main factor [of this rapid success] was the enduring popularity and recognition of Run For Money in Japan. . . . Additionally, the promotion by media outlets and YouTubers who announced the release of the "Run For Money" game in Fortnite significantly contributed to its success.”
Though the television series was hugely popular in Japan, the team wanted to ensure that the island would be enjoyable to players across the globe.
Thanks to the support of their partners at Fuji TV, they were able to market the island on a massive scale.
Overall, “Run For Money” was a faithful adaptation of the TV series, expressed within the unique environment of Fortnite. Alche says, “we are not in this for the money but to create content that brings smiles and surprises to many people. We are committed to investing in and working hard towards that goal.” Mission accomplished!
Play the Run For Money experience using code 4090-6935-8150, or by searching for “Run For Money” in Discover. Also, check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to successfully market your UEFN islands.
Note: While we highlight the success stories of creators in our spotlight series, it's important to acknowledge that not every creator will have access to similar opportunities or collaborations. The paths to success vary greatly depending on a range of factors.
When a massively popular Japanese television show and an inspired team of Fortnite creators come together, anything is possible.
Alche is a Tokyo-based team of creators that specialize in interactive entertainment experiences made with Unreal Engine. Through their inventive work, they’ve been recognized on a global scale and been given the opportunity to collaborate with massive brands.
As part of an ongoing collaboration with Japanese media company Fuji TV, Alche was invited to build a gamified experience as part of a larger campaign celebrating the 20th anniversary of the popular series Run For Money. They worked alongside Fuji Culture X Inc., a digital entertainment company of the Fuji Sankei Group.
The concept for their island, where players are divided into Runners and Hunters in a hide-and-seek inspired gameplay experience, was inspired by Fortnite tag islands. With this foundation in-mind, Alche then integrated the Run For Money intellectual property (IP) into the mechanics of their game. Alche says, “Rather than a half-hearted reproduction of the TV show, we focused on paying homage to the show.”
“We recorded voiceovers with the same voice actors and pursued the same game mechanics. At the same time, we respected Fortnite’s unique style by using Fortnite assets and creating a Japanese Odaiba setting that felt authentic to Fortnite players. . . . Balancing fidelity to the original content with what resonates with Fortnite users is key to successful integration.”
Alche chose to use Fortnite and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) for this project because “Fortnite offers beautiful graphics and a wide range of expressive possibilities compared to other UGC platforms.” Alche adds that they “aimed to recreate the actual Run for Money IP as closely as possible, making models that resembled the original characters while ensuring they fit into the Fortnite aesthetic.”
Once the team had built out the experience, they shifted their focus to marketing. They were in a position to collaborate with the IP holders directly to promote and share the island with players. They planned a one-month campaign and released the island alongside a 20th anniversary event for Run For Money.
Alche created the above gameplay trailer in Japanese to promote the activation. This spoke directly to their target audience and introduced them to the island’s gameplay while also taking a creative approach. The trailer was narrated, which adds a layer of excitement and anticipation for players.
Speaking about the activation’s incredible success, the team shared that “the main factor [of this rapid success] was the enduring popularity and recognition of Run For Money in Japan. . . . Additionally, the promotion by media outlets and YouTubers who announced the release of the "Run For Money" game in Fortnite significantly contributed to its success.”
Though the television series was hugely popular in Japan, the team wanted to ensure that the island would be enjoyable to players across the globe.
How Alche Used UEFN to “Localize” Their Game
- The team utilized the native localization features of UEFN to translate text into English.
- They ensured that even though Verse doesn’t currently support localization, textures used in Verse would still change automatically based on the player’s language setting.
- Finally, they also focused on using icons, images, and in-game visual cues to communicate information intuitively to ensure their game was playable by all different audiences.
Thanks to the support of their partners at Fuji TV, they were able to market the island on a massive scale.
How the Marketing Came to Life
- The team sent out a press release to prepare media for the launch of the experience.
- The team conducted a pre-release test play (or “playtest”) to receive user feedback about the game.
- Fuji TV deployed an influencer strategy, and sent out official comms from the Run For Money social account on X.
Overall, “Run For Money” was a faithful adaptation of the TV series, expressed within the unique environment of Fortnite. Alche says, “we are not in this for the money but to create content that brings smiles and surprises to many people. We are committed to investing in and working hard towards that goal.” Mission accomplished!
Play the Run For Money experience using code 4090-6935-8150, or by searching for “Run For Money” in Discover. Also, check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to successfully market your UEFN islands.