the challenge
Uber Australia wanted to transform a passive dwell-time moment, time spent sitting in the backseat into an engaging brand experience that delivered real value for riders at scale. Beyond entertainment, the objective was to drive repeat usage by incentivising future rides, using gameplay to motivate action without disrupting the core ride experience.
the play
Studio Arcade in partnership with Livewire, launched Uber Backseat Arcade, a global-first playable experience that invited riders to compete in three reimagined classic arcade games Snake, Brick Breaker, and Meteors, once they started a ride. Players had a limited time to achieve their highest score, with performance-based rewards unlocking discounts on future rides. The experience was designed for instant pick-up-and-play, turning short dwell-time moments into high-attention gameplay, while seamlessly connecting entertainment, incentive, and measurable outcomes.
the challenge
Uber Australia wanted to transform a passive dwell-time moment, time spent sitting in the backseat into an engaging brand experience that delivered real value for riders at scale. Beyond entertainment, the objective was to drive repeat usage by incentivising future rides, using gameplay to motivate action without disrupting the core ride experience.
the play
Studio Arcade in partnership with Livewire, launched Uber Backseat Arcade, a global-first playable experience that invited riders to compete in three reimagined classic arcade games Snake, Brick Breaker, and Meteors, once they started a ride. Players had a limited time to achieve their highest score, with performance-based rewards unlocking discounts on future rides. The experience was designed for instant pick-up-and-play, turning short dwell-time moments into high-attention gameplay, while seamlessly connecting entertainment, incentive, and measurable outcomes.
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the result
- 42% in-app ad CTR, one of Uber’s strongest performance results to date, far exceeding their 3.8% average benchmark
- 19,000+ active players engaging during live rides
- Average play time of 4+ minutes, demonstrating sustained attention once riders entered the experience
- 8,000+ ride discount vouchers won, with 80% redeemed within the first 10 days, demonstrating strong urgency and appeal
- Extended dwell time and repeat play throughout the campaign window
The campaign proved how well-crafted gameplay can transform everyday moments into scalable, high-performing brand experiences, driving attention, action, and real commercial value.
services
- Campaign ideation and playable engagement strategy
- Game format design and core gameplay mechanics
- UX and visual design for in-ride mobile gameplay
- Game development, testing, and deployment
- Enterprise-grade AWS-hosted infrastructure supporting secure data handling
- Uber app integration and in-ride campaign implementation
- Reward logic and ride discount voucher management
- Campaign measurement, insights, and performance reporting
