Branded Entertainment for the Savers: German Bank Launches Piggy Bank Horror Game On Fortnite

Sparkasse, one of the biggest German banks, has launched a horror game featured on Fortnite, working together with Jung von Matt SPORTS and streamers like HandOfBlood and Gnu.

With ‘Schwein Gehabt’, a German saying expressing someone having luck but literally translating to ‘Having a Pig’, the bank expands its gaming universe.

In the horror adventure ‘Schwein Gehabt’, players must rescue the savings bank pig Berta from a haunted house while overcoming exciting challenges.

Sparkasse has been a longtime sponsor of the e-sports team Eintrach Spandau, which is led by the famous streamer HandOfBlood. The bank has also developed a multi-award-winning in-game calculator that converts online currencies from various game titles into euros, from last year.

To ensure a unique immersion and gaming experience, the savings banks and JvM SPORTS worked together with the game studio Beyond Creative, the Oscar-winning production studio Passion Pictures, and the audio agency German Wahnsinn.

The bank aims to engage younger audiences and offer tailored financial products for young people.

In the development of ideas and the game for ‘Schwein Gehabt’, the newsrooms of the Sparkasse Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe) maintained close contact with gamers.

The creative agency Jung von Matt SPORTS took the lead as the primary partner responsible for the implementation of the project.

Janine Schumann, head of campaign management in the newsroom of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, said: "Anyone aiming to reach young people today must understand their culture – and participate in shaping it. That’s why we have worked closely with the gaming community from the very beginning. ‘Schwein Gehabt’ is not a marketing stunt, but a contemporary experience that takes gaming seriously — in attitude, quality, and storytelling."

Kevin Claus, client service director at Jung von Matt SPORTS, said: “The savings banks have once again demonstrated, through the ambitious development of ‘Schwein Gehabt’, that they understand the importance of the most significant entertainment industry, gaming, in the everyday lives of many young people. We are proud to be part of this journey from the very beginning and look forward to the community's feedback and the upcoming highlights that will follow this year.”

For the game, the savings banks are also collaborating with some of Germany’s most well-known creators – HandOfBlood, Gnu, Fibii, Mahluna and Sev – who collectively reach over 12 million followers. The streamers are incorporated into the ‘Schwein Gehabt’ game through hidden Easter Eggs; for example, HandOfBlood appears as Sparkassen Hänno, acting as a tutor in the game.

Live streams also accompany the launch today on Twitch; social media extensions, comprising best-of clips from the streams and competitions, complete the collaborations.

‘Schwein Gehabt’ will also be accessible across Germany in branches, featuring numerous giveaways such as piggy Tilda’s red hair clip, cardboard standees, spooky masks, and more.

Silke Lehm, co-head of the newsroom of the Sparkasse Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe), said: "With ‘Schwein Gehabt’, we are opening a new chapter in engaging with young people -- on a platform where they move every day."

More about the game for those interested: Berta is the piggy bank of little Tilda and leads a sheltered life. She is regularly ‘fed’ with coins and lovingly cared for by her owner in every other way. Everything seems perfect until Berta's idyllic world comes to an abrupt end: Tilda is completely crazy and wants her savings. To do so, she is prepared to kill Berta. Armed with a hammer, she is determined to track down her savings bank pig.

Players of ‘Schwein Gehabt’ step into Berta’s perspective and must escape from the horror house.

To unlock new rooms in the horror house and ultimately escape, players must solve various interconnected and challenging puzzles. The goal: players must solve the puzzles without Tilda discovering them beforehand. Only then can they successfully guide Berta to the nearby savings bank branch, where they can appropriately deposit her savings into her account and calm Tilda.