Xbox and PlayStation battle it out at The Sphere
By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.
Microsoft and Sony have both spent thousands of dollars this week in marketing campaigns at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The $2.3 billion attraction has been lighting up social media for weeks now, after U2 played the first-ever show at The Sphere last month. On Thursday night Microsoft lit up The Sphere with its new Xbox marketing campaign, and just a day later Sony chose The Sphere to showcase Spider-Man 2.
Both companies may have paid as much as $450,000 to get their campaigns displayed on The Sphere, after pricing for creative spots at the attraction leaked earlier this month. Microsoft worked with BCN Visuals to create its Xbox Sphere takeover on Thursday night, with a fully anamorphic 3D billboard on display that was similar to the takeovers we’ve seen at Times Square in the past.
The result saw 3D Xbox controllers flying out of The Sphere, as part of Microsoft’s new Xbox marketing campaign for the holidays. Microsoft has also created a live-action trailer that aired on Thursday Night Football and will run globally through the holidays.
Sony followed a day later with its own 90-second spot featuring Spider-Man 2, with Venom popping out of The Sphere. Both spots appeared just as Twitchcon starts this weekend, which is being held in Las Vegas this year.
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