Since its inaugural event in 2020, Red Bull Wololo has proved itself to be the ultimate Age of Empires II tournament. For its fifth chapter, Red Bull approached Flux to help them build a show that would take the competition and the spectacle to a whole new level.
The event would see the best AoE players from across the globe battle it out in epic 1v1 matches before convening at Castle Heidelberg in Germany for a medieval themed, LAN grand final. With the whole thing streamed live on Red Bull Twitch and YouTube, the stage was well and truly set for some incredible AoE action!
Redbull wanted to elevate the Wololo experience and make full use of the spectacular location to create a truly immersive broadcast.
Authenticity was the key driver behind our creative strategy and we quickly went to the drawing board to take inspiration directly from the Age of Empires franchise. We scattered easter eggs throughout the production that would resonate with true Age of Empire fans. With the castle as the backdrop, our hosts took up the roles of nobles (and one jester) and the players took charge as Banner Lords with squires carrying their flag in to battle. We provided a soundtrack fit for a medieval banquet and even brought NPC’s to life – having their own stories unfold as the tournament played out.
From a technical viewpoint we also pulled out all the stops. Flux provided full technical backhaul for the production – including vision mixing, replays, audio and comms. The graphics system deserves a special shoutout, we integrated this with data from the game providing visual insight behind the strategy for experienced Age of Empire Fans and newbies alike, which greatly enhanced the storytelling opportunities within the production.
Red Bull Wololo V was undoubtedly the most successful tournament in the series with viewers generating an unbelievable 1.6 million hours watched over 58 hours of airtime. Comments online from the community were incredibly complimentary of the production, they felt like it was a true representation of all things AoE.
The rollercoaster 7 game final contested by TheViper and Liereyy set a new record for viewers in the discipline hitting 77k at its peak. Getting the players together for the first time since the pandemic in the amazing setting of Castle Heidelberg was a huge moment for all involved and for sure, Flux will be there for whatever surprises Red Bull has in store for the future.
But don’t just take our word for it… here’s some of the comments from the viewers below
Wololoooooo!