Video Games for events and online contests: EURid’s Dual Strategy for Its 20th Anniversary
In the landscape of digital communication, more and more companies are choosing games as a tool to engage audiences, turn messages into experiences, and build authentic relationships with users.
This is exactly what EURid, the organization that manages the .eu domain, did to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
To mark this milestone, EURid chose to collaborate with Code This Lab on the development of two custom video games, designed with a clear goal: to tell the story of European connection through the universal language of gaming.
The project resulted in two distinct gaming solutions, created for different contexts and audiences, yet united by the same narrative concept: .eu as a network that connects people, countries, and opportunities.
Two games, one concept: connecting Europe
The two video games developed for EURid were designed to be experienced in different environments:
- an on-site experience for fairs and events;
- an online experience hosted directly on EURid’s website.
Both games reinterpret classic arcade mechanics through a branded approach, keeping the gameplay immediate and accessible while integrating engagement dynamics, data collection, and digital contest features.
The first project: a Europe-themed Snake game for fairs and events
The first game developed for EURid is a reinterpretation of the iconic Snake game.
Instead of controlling the classic snake, players guide a small train that progressively grows by collecting the flags of the countries belonging to the European Union.
As a result, each flag adds a new carriage, while collecting the EU symbol activates a score multiplier bonus.
This creates a simple, immediate mechanic that is perfectly aligned with the message of the campaign: a Europe that brings together and connects its different member countries.
Moreover, the game was designed to be used during fairs and industry events, where quick access and immediacy are essential.
A key feature: offline functionality
One of the most interesting aspects of the project concerns connectivity management.
During fairs and events, the quality of the internet connection can become a real issue. For this reason, the development team created a solution that allowed the game to work offline as well.
The system stores locally:
- player data
- scores
- registrations
- leaderboards.
Once the connection is restored, all data is synchronized online through the dedicated backend.
This solution allowed EURid to use the game without interruptions, even in high-traffic environments, ensuring continuity of the experience and operational reliability.
User registration and leaderboard
The game also included:
- a registration form
- a public leaderboard
- prize mechanics linked to the highest scores.
These elements turned the video game into an engagement and lead generation tool, perfectly integrated into the event environment.
The second project: an online puzzle game for .eu domain holders
The second video game was published directly on EURid’s website and is based on a reinterpretation of the classic puzzle game “Lights”.
In this case, the player’s goal is to correctly connect the railway tracks to the European Union flag.
Once the route is completed, a small train travels along the connections created by the player, symbolically linking the different European countries.
Here too, the central concept remains the connection between nations, translated into an intuitive game mechanic that is fully aligned with EURid’s identity.
Two game modes: “Play for Fun” and “Play for Win”
The game was structured around two different modes.
Play for Fun
The free mode allowed users to:
- play without registration;
- access 40 levels;
- practice and enjoy the experience freely.
This was an ideal solution to increase time spent on the website and encourage spontaneous interaction with the brand.
Play for Win
The competitive mode, on the other hand, introduced an authentication system dedicated to .eu domain holders.
To access it, users had to complete a form by entering:
- .eu domain;
- first name;
- last name;
- email address;
- postal code.
The system automatically verified the validity of the information through APIs provided directly by EURid, checking that the data actually matched a registered domain.
Only verified users could access the competitive mode.
Gaming, prediction quiz and reward system
The “Play for Win” mode introduced an additional layer of engagement.
Players had to complete a single level, more challenging than those available in the standard mode. Once completed, they gained access to a prediction quiz.
The question was simple, yet highly effective in terms of participation:
“How many players will play today?”
Users who completed the level could submit multiple answers, increasing their chances of winning. Those who were unable to complete the level could still participate, but with only one prediction.
The winners took part in the final prize draw, with 2 Interrail Global Passes up for grabs, giving them the opportunity to travel across Europe.
This mechanic was perfectly aligned with the concept of the entire campaign: connecting countries, people, and cultures through travel and the European .eu domain.
This dynamic made it possible to:
- encourage gameplay;
- keep competition high;
- promote participation even among less experienced players.
A custom backend to manage the campaign
To support the entire initiative, we also developed a customized backend, allowing EURid to monitor in real time
- number of games played;
- participating users;
- daily results;
- prediction quiz entries;
- leaderboards.
The system automatically ranked users based on how close their prediction was to the actual number of daily players, making it easier to manage the prize draws and campaign winners.
This is a concrete example of how a video game can become not only an entertainment tool, but also an interactive platform for advanced digital campaigns.
When gaming becomes a communication tool
The project developed for EURid clearly shows how gaming can be used to:
- increase engagement;
- encourage participation;
- collect data;
- enhance an institutional message;
- create memorable online and offline experiences.
Through two different yet perfectly coordinated experiences, EURid turned its anniversary into an interactive campaign capable of engaging users, event visitors, and .eu domain holders in an original way, fully aligned with its digital identity.
