Reimagining the Future of Gaming Through Nostalgia with The Secret Little Agency

There is no doubt that with the pandemic raging on, a new normal shape every aspect of our lives, leaving us to lean into our nostalgic past, longing for the fuzzy good old days. From throwbacks on Instagram to revisiting old music, memories of simpler and better times have given us comfort in a time of uncertainty.

With all of this in mind, DBS partnered with creative agency The Secret Little Agency to recreate the legendary Jiak Kim Street club in the massive multiplayer game, Fortnite.

The club holds so many indelible memories, locally hailed as a rite of passage for every Singaporean coming of age story and globally recognised as one of the best nightclubs in the world, the dance floors of Jiak Kim has been graced by the likes of Carl Cox, Sasha, Bjork, Chemical Brothers, Peaches, Primal Scream And Sven Vath to name a few. For some, the club is the first place they experienced the hypnotic deep bass house music; for others, it’s where they spent hours busting out coordinated dance moves to 80s hits; for the special few, it’s where they fell in love.

The Secret Little Agency's idea was to create a safe space for party people andgamers to hangout and reminisce about the heady days of IRL clubbing – one that would help create an experience that connects its audience on a deeper level –with the same group of friends, evoking shared memories and more importantly,the comfort of better times.

Live Fresh Club is an identical replica both outside and in,down to the details of fountain in the toilet, the bangers and mash stand and multiple club rooms. The team wanted people entering the space to experience a nostalgic rush so we poured through public records and architectural archives of the iconic club, to painstakingly recreate to every detail and element of the club complex down to perfection, pixel-by-pixel with Fortnite’s creative mode.

Beyond just a space that overcomes the hurdles of socialising, DBS wanted to foster a deeper connection by inspiring emotional memories. To do that, The Secret Little Agency created a new aspect to gaming that flipped the script of traditional fantasy world-building within the realms of Fortnite. Instead of creating a universe that transports you to a different world, it designed a space that transports you back in time, to an immersive experience reflective of a life you have lived.

And to truly put that to the test, the team invited the people that spent the most time in the club back to experience it from themselves.

Players can enjoy Live Fresh Club in Fornite’s creative mode by entering code 9335-6787-4501 inin their favourite character, to collect coins, play human pinball, or just chill and bust a move on the many dancefloors the club offers.

Read More about Live Fresh Club on Campaign, The Drum, NMEand Mashable.