We worked with Microsoft and electropop artist M83 to reimagine what a music video could be. In order to explore new frontiers in interactive art and music, we engaged a team of up-and-coming developers to build a game inspired by his track. The resulting web browser game, titled “Meet Me At Go!”, takes music fans on an unexpected journey through the song as they race through a retro-futuristic cityscape, dodging obstacles and collecting objects in pursuit of their love. The experience draws inspiration from the 8-bit world and the aesthetic of classic arcade games and the package included an 8-bit remix of “Go!”. The project was creatively inspired by frontman Anthony Gonzalez’s love for retro video games, as well as themes from the song itself. The game was optimized for touchscreen-based computers like Microsoft’s Surface Book, and for Microsoft Edge, where users can access bonus content.

After receiving stems from artist M83 last spring we produced an 8-bit remix of his song ‘Go!’, which would inspire the game play. Each sound on the original track was recreated with an 8-bit representation, then effects were layered over to blend with the vocals. The lyrics helped guide the narrative and the 80's sound brought to life the retro landscape. The game developers and sound designers worked hand-in-hand over the course of three months to create a music-driven experience. The developers then built the game to match the remix, with the cars traveling more slowly during verses and speeding up for the more energetic chorus. We wanted to marry the graphics to the sound of the remix by having an 8-bit feel but clearly modern/contemporary. The developers drew the look and colors from seminal cyberpunk films of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The models and the environments, like cityspaces, purple palm trees and abstract tetrahedrons, all represent aspects of a cyberpunk environment. The game was built with the Unity game-development platform, then integrated into the campaign website to reach a global audience. It was also made available on the Windows Store, to connect with the indie game community that is present on the platform. The developers also worked with the Microsoft team to optimize the game for the Surface tablet and Microsoft Edge where fans can access bonus content. The game was released on February 7, 2017 alongside the official “Go! Remixes” EP on Mute Records.