Fans of video game Lords of the Fallen are hard core, and CI Games knows its audience. So for the sequel reveal at Gamescom 2025, held Aug. 20-24 in Cologne, Germany, the independent video game developer and publisher brought the game’s dark fantasy world to life on the show floor with a themed activation called the Tattoo Sanctum.
The chainmail-inspired booth featured glowing runes, caged walls, large character cutouts, key art from the game and a live dj, but the centerpiece was the tattoo studio (you read that right), where attendees could choose from 20 Lords of the Fallen tattoo and henna designs to “mark their soul.” CI Games gave out free posters and “the biggest bag possible,” which drew attendees to the booth.
Ryan Hill, chief brand officer at CI Games, describes the footprint as “a hub of social electricity” that fused the Lords of the Fallen world with a tattoo studio, a fashion show and a German underground techno bar.
“Because this was just us announcing the sequel, it was too early to show gameplay, so we wanted to offer users a different experience, one that was true to the experience you would have playing one of our games,” he says. “For us, there was a strong correlation between playing a Soulslike game and getting a tattoo. It’s a test of endurance; it’s a test of pain and hardship. But at the same time, it’s something that people choose to do, and both playing a Soulslike and getting a tattoo leave a permanent mark. You get to the end of it, and there’s a huge sense of satisfaction. You’re even compelled to go again.”
Hill got his 15th tattoo on the first day of Gamescom of a character that he co-created to commemorate the exhibiting experience, and he says that most of the staffers behind the game are also passionate about tattoos. The activation made sense not only for fans, but also the development team.
“In terms of the event and the tattoos, I didn’t really know what to expect,” he says. “It was a cool thing to do, to become the bad boys of gaming, almost like less game developers and more rock stars. That’s the vibe we’re going for. Just the association of having our own tattoo studio at Gamescom was enough in itself for me, whether people got tattoos or not.”
Even though three tattoo artists and one henna artist were on hand, demand for the tattoo experience exceeded expectations, going 15 percent over the planned capacity, as more than 200 tattoos and henna designs were applied to attendees.
“They were nonstop and fully booked from the first day right through the entire show,” Hill says. “We had people waiting to see if there would be a cancellation, waiting for hours just to try and get a slot. And some people hadn’t even heard of the game before. They just saw the booth and thought it looked super cool. All the tattoos are from the game, so it’s not like you’re getting a free tattoo. You’re being branded with Lords of the Fallen.”
CI Games unveiled the Lords of the Fallen II trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live, reaching 72 million viewers worldwide, but ahead of the kickoff event, the developer connected with its host Geoff Keighley to tease the new game on social media. He shared a “Blood Will Spill” promo image that was created by French artist Maxime Taccardi, who paints with his own blood, and the technique was used for the game’s veiny “II” logo painting.
“This is us trying to do interesting, disruptive activations that are true to the brand and are a bit different to what everyone else is doing,” Hill says. “For this sequel, the three words that are steering everything are ‘braver, bolder, bloodier.’ They inform every development decision with the game itself, but we also want them to inform the brand and the marketing, as well.”
For the next activation, Hill’s already thinking about how to level up CI Games’ presence, like pushing design boundaries and bringing in costumed aerialists or character actors to interact with fans—but definitely more tattoo artists if the team brings the experience back. Agency: Jack Morton.
Photos: Courtesy of Jack Morton; @lotfgame on X
