Gears of War 4's 'Never Fight Alone' campaign starred fans with real Gears tattoos

Introduce Gears of War 4, available October 11, 2016, a game about brotherhood and camaraderie, building on the previous year's Gears Ink campaign.

An online and social campaign breaking September 15, 2016, told real fans' stories as they got Gears tattoos, supported by GearsInk.com, where fans submitted #MyGearsMoment for a chance to win a tattoo like those in the video, Gears gifts, or a match with Liam McIntyre, voice of hero JD Fenix.

No results given. The UGC contest tied the launch to the existing GearsInk.com community hub, and LBB covered the campaign at release.

To introduce Gears of War 4, available October 11, 2016, Xbox agency twofifteenmccann broke its new online and social campaign "Never Fight Alone" on September 15, 2016, building on the previous year's Gears Ink campaign.

The work focuses on the stories of some of the game's most dedicated fans, exploring their passion for the game and their loyalty to one another as they get tattoos of Gears iconography. The framing: the definition of friendship and community has evolved with technology, and nowhere is that more apparent than in gaming — in online communities like Gears of War, your best friend could live on the other side of the world, sharing your victories and your defeats.

The social engagement component on GearsInk.com invited fans to submit their own #MyGearsMoment for a chance to win a tattoo like those featured in the video, Gears gifts, and the chance to play online with Liam McIntyre, the voice of in-game hero JD Fenix, or a Gears of War Xbox One S. The campaign was credited to McCann North America's twofifteenmccann, with chief creative officer Scott Duchon and production by DUF.

The game's theme is brotherhood, so the campaign sourced it from the community rather than casting actors.

Tattoos made fandom visible and permanent — proof of loyalty no ad could fake.

Building on the previous year's Gears Ink campaign turned a one-off into an ongoing community platform.

The #MyGearsMoment contest gave every player a path from viewer to participant, with prizes tied to the game itself.

A game about brotherhood should be launched by its real brotherhood: when your community's devotion is permanent — even inked on skin — the fans are the campaign, and UGC gives everyone a way in.

No results were reported. The campaign ran as Gears of War 4's online and social launch layer ahead of the game's October 11, 2016 release, continuing the Gears Ink platform.