UFC: Staredown

Objective

Build online engagement and anticipation for UFC fans in the weeks leading up to a major fight event. The campaign gamified the iconic pre-fight staredown moment—one of the most intense and watched instances in UFC culture—to generate fan participation and excitement ahead of the main broadcast.

Solution

SLIK created an interactive web-based game where fans competed in digital staredowns using camera technology and AI-powered facial recognition. Players had to match and overcome their virtual opponent's emotional expressions within timed challenges, progressing through increasingly tougher opponents. The game used Microsoft Oxford's machine learning API to recognize micro-level facial expression changes. Player reactions were captured via webcam and converted into shareable time-lapsed GIFs for social media distribution. The experience was built as a WebGL application and hosted at staredowngame.com.au.

Results

The project achieved 50,000+ plays in launch week and earned an Awwwards Honorable Mention.