Universal Pictures, in collaboration with Google, today announced “The Ultimate Search for Bourne with Google,” an online game inspired by Universal’s Bourne action series (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and the most recent film in the series, The Bourne Ultimatum). Players will assume the persona of a former CIA operative as they track rogue agent Jason Bourne across three continents. The game, which launches Monday, July 16, simultaneously in seven countries, allows participants to answer clues that will bring them one step closer to uncovering Bourne’s identity, in the weeks leading to the opening of The Bourne Ultimatum on August 3.
Using Google(TM) tools including Search, Maps, Images, Translate and YouTube(TM), players will track Bourne online, in the hopes that what he knows will prove helpful in their own quests. With new clues and active game play provided to site visitors each weekday — 15 in total — the game concludes on the film’s opening day. Along the way, registered users will have the chance to win amazing prizes, including the grand prize: a 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2, designed to the specifications of the car seen in the film, as well as a four-city trip to international destinations featured in the movie and $25,000.
“This is a great opportunity for us to bring the power of Google search products to help players across the globe hunt for Bourne online,” said Dylan Casey, Google product manager. “We’re always looking for creative and engaging ways to connect people with the information they’re seeking, and this collaboration is a terrific example of that.”
Participation is free, and contestants can sign up to play at Google.com/Bourne. Throughout the game, players will gain access to exclusive clips from The Bourne Ultimatum and will have the chance to win world-class prizes.
Four lucky winners will receive a trip of their choice to Tangier, Paris, London, New York City or Madrid. Each active day of the game, one player will receive a $1,000 MasterCard gift card and 10 players will receive the three-disc “Bourne Files” DVD collection. Additionally, players who complete each day’s task will be offered the option to catch Bourne using a game “surveillance camera” they will be able to place on a Google(TM) map. Those who successfully sight Jason Bourne 25 times or more during the course of the game will be entered into the “Sightings Sweepstakes.” From this pool, 10 lucky winners will be awarded the new Apple iPhone.
“Jason Bourne’s story is an action thriller appealing to a broad audience,” said Doug Neil, senior vice president, digital marketing, Universal Pictures. “Fans are eagerly anticipating the opening of ‘The Bourne Ultimatum,’ and this game provides an entertaining way to stoke that enthusiasm and show fans what it would be like to live in Bourne’s world.”
“The Ultimate Search for Bourne with Google” is open to residents of the United States and Canada (except Quebec), 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Additional details and official rules are available at Google.com/Bourne.
A variation of the game is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
