FOX Downhill Racers
Addictive holiday mini-game featuring FOX TV characters that went internally viral, generating over 8,335 hours of play time among FOX employees and partners.
Project Snapshot
FOX (via Hooky Interactive)
Entertainment & Television
November 2011 - December 2011
Software developer
ActionScript 3, JavaScript, Game Physics, Hit Detection, Character Animation
Game Development, Physics Programming, Corporate Engagement Solutions, Viral Game Design
1 programmer (myself), 1 designer
What It Was
FOX Downhill Racers was a fun mini-game created as part of FOX's yearly holiday e-card sent to all News Corp employees, partners, and affiliates. Players could select characters from popular FOX TV shows and navigate downhill while avoiding obstacles for as long as possible. The longer you played, the harder the game became.
This project was part of a successful three-year partnership between FOX and Hooky Interactive to create engaging holiday communications. FOX wanted to create a fun and creative way for employees and partners to engage with the FOX brand during the holiday season, moving beyond traditional corporate communications.
Demo of the viral holiday game featuring FOX TV characters
What I Did
- Served as the sole game programmer for the entire project
- Developed all physics systems and hit detection algorithms for smooth gameplay
- Implemented progressive difficulty scaling and obstacle generation systems
- Created all game interactions and character integration with FOX TV show assets
Game instructions and setup interface
Character selection featuring popular FOX TV show personalities
Each sled had different game play properties
Active gameplay with physics-based movement and obstacles
Competitive leaderboard driving engagement and replay value
What Came Out of It
- Distributed to over 100,000 News Corp employees and partners worldwide
- Generated an impressive 8,335 hours of total play time, demonstrating exceptional engagement
- Went internally viral within the corporate environment, exceeding all engagement expectations
- Established the game as simple yet highly addictive, leading to continued partnership with FOX
What I Learned
This project taught me the power of simple, well-executed game mechanics. Sometimes the most engaging experiences come from straightforward concepts executed flawlessly rather than complex features. Working as the sole programmer also pushed me to be efficient and decisive in my technical choices. The viral success within a corporate environment showed me how games can break through traditional business communication barriers and create genuine engagement. The project reinforced that addictive gameplay often comes from perfect balance in difficulty progression and responsive controls.
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