CRISIS CORE Launch Event Diary
- Posted on
- March 28, 2008 5:10 PM
- in
- Behind the Games
Here's the rest of the event diary by our PR manager Sonia Im.
1:20 p.m.
Check in with the retail manager at SCEA and start setting up. After the Audio/Visual check, we all split up into groups to put up the window clings, prepare the art display and set up the merchandise. Here's where everyone's obsessive tendencies go into full swing: a microscopic piece of dust is stuck between the frames (it must be removed!), the window cling isn't centered (it must move to the left 4 millimeters!), Cloud's Buster Sword needs to be rotated (by 2 degrees!).
3:00 p.m.
We begin setting up the Shinra ID station, loading the XMB [cross-media bars] to the PSPs and, lo and behold, Romeo (Merchandise/Sales) is still setting up the merchandise! Here's the thing: the shelves he's so meticulously setting up the figures on have to come down so the art can be hung. (Note: Romeo's obsession with the merchandise will make returns throughout.)
4:30 p.m.
The store is shut down so we can seriously set up! Between the awesome PlayStation Store staff and the rest of the crew, the setup goes pretty smoothly.
6:05 p.m.
Here we go! Doors open and everyone heads to the Shinra ID card station to have their cards made. A lot of the attendees then head over to the art area where there are concept art, story boards and merchandise, including these really awesome, high-end figures of Cloud and Sephiroth from the Masterpiece Arts series. On the way back to the ID station, people stop at the theater to catch screenings of the trailers and check out the game.
7:00-ish (getting hard to keep track of time)
Our MC gets the crowd going, and we start the raffle. Coincidentally, #77 wins one of the special Tetsuya Nomura lithographs. The other prizes are themed, and each package consists of a variety of merchandise: the "Cloud Award," with a Cloud Play Arts figure and Cloud silver pendant/necklace; the "Sephiroth Award," with a Sephiroth Play Arts figure and Sephiroth pendant/necklace; and the "Shinra Award," with a Shinra card case, a Shinra pin badge and a SOLDIER key chain.
The ID station procedure is a bit grueling for the staff, but we trudge through and successfully distribute badges to everyone. This was one part of the event we were a little worried about (it was something new for us and the equipment was not ours), but it all ends up working out in the end. Whew!
7:30-ish
The first hundred start moving out with commemorative shirt and ID card in hand, and we have a bit of lag time while we reset for the next group. Guess who's back rearranging the merchandise? Told you he'd make a comeback! He continues this throughout the night, a new pose about every fifteen minutes.
8:00-ish
We start bringing in the next hundred. Since the event is going so smoothly our MC puts together an impromptu trivia session with attendees, game show-style in the theater area. The winner takes home an FFVII Advent Children poster and UMD, and the runner ups get the poster.
Little after 9:00
Wow where did the time go? And are we actually done on time? Time to close up shop.
Little after 10:00
And we're done! Record time too! We're so stoked that everyone seemed to have a great time (event staff included)!
Last words
Thank you to the unbelievably awesome crew at the PlayStation Store! Your passion makes these events great every time. And thank you, thank you to our amazing fans! Without you we're nothing, and don't doubt for a second that we don't totally appreciate it.
XOXO from everyone at Square Enix!
