New Xbox ad by McCann London offers 'holidays' in gaming worlds

The campaign is built on the idea of virtual travel and a new kind of tourism, looking to demonstrate that there's beauty in gaming and more to Xbox than what we might usually associate with gamers.

The ad looks to highlight Xbox One X Enhanced games, which have been updated or built specifically to "take advantage of the world’s most powerful console," says Xbox. The campaign encourages gamers to "wander off-piste and take in the spectacular scenery on offer in Enhanced titles," the brand adds.

“This new type of ‘tourism’ offers people incredible new worlds to explore, from vibrant cities to exotic wildernesses to outer space,” says Laurence Thomson, CCO at McCann UK and co-president at McCann London. “Game worlds are so rich and immersive; this campaign aims to showcase that beauty.”

As well as a tourist-board inspired film, the campaign has seen the launch of the Visit Xbox site, which displays images shot by in-game photographers of various locations. The site aims to target "gaming tourists" by showcasing the destinations on offer, from paradisal beaches to quaint village sites, giving visitors the opportunity to buy a "trip" thereby purchasing the game. The site also has a postcard generator and holiday-themed bundles.

The global campaign will also come to life in the form of a guidebook to gaming worlds, published and written by Rough Guides.