We're All Rats in a Trap Without Xbox, Xbox Says

From Droga5, David Fincher & Romain Chassaing

Life’s a dreary rat race. That message comes through loud and clear in the film below.

There’s just one chance for salvation: Xbox. Which presents its proposition in a dystopian fable from directors David Fincher and Romain Chassaing.

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So, pass the cheese?

Indeed, we’ve seen Brazil/1984 riffs many times before. And this one takes a tad too long to reach the end of its maze.

Still, it’s extremely well-realized, with lots of deft touches—like the rat’s pet cat—and enough escapist flair to carry the day.

“Growing up, gaming advertising felt like a glitch in the matrix, something honest in a sea of deception,” says Tres Colacion, ECD at Droga5 N.Y., which helped set the creative direction. “‘Wake Up’ is about rekindling that tradition and reestablishing that dialogue.”

He adds: “In David Fincher, we found a collaborator who has not only defined a generation of filmmakers but, more importantly, shares that intention with a rare depth of care. We hope that, like the great gaming work of the past, our message finds someone staring into the void and shakes them awake.”

Xbox global platform & brand head Craig McNary believes the effort “reflects both the emotional power of play and where we’re headed next.”

These pre-rodent BTS stills are actually more unsettling than the final product that emerged from post: