In cooperation with our partner HEO Nerdistan joined forces with legendary brand Mattel to promote the even more legendary franchise „Master of the Universe“ on the ComicCon #23 in the heart of Dortmund. Instead of building just another trade show booth, we designed an interactive triptych, split into 3 separated areas. Number one was a replica of a nostalgic 80s child’s room back in the day, which turned out to be a designated selfie hotspot. The second part was a goldmine for the eyes of collectors, showcasing original 30 years old toy figures of He-Man and his friends and foes. Area 3 was sketched out in cooperation with a street artist and had a claw machine as the centerpiece, in which visitors could try their luck and grab highly coveted „Masters of the Universe“ toys. A Skeletor cosplayer and a life-sized „Masters of the Universe“ toy box photo op rounded up the experience. Several thousand people came by and and felt appreciated in their nerdism by an authentic and pleasant escapade.

The legend says that 5 years ago in a basement bar in Berlin’s infamous Kreuzberg district some geeks decided to combine their passions and brought some consoles from the living room into the vibrant Berlin nightlife. A few beers later the „Arcade Bash“ was born. What started off with some friends, old TVs and 80s video games quickly became a monthly event with a growing community of diverse people, who otherwise would never have met if it wasn’t for their shared love for gaming nostalgia. The recurring non profit evening expanded on every occasion. Actual arcades came into play and a PvP tournament with changing games and professional live moderation for everyone to participate was established. The word of the distinctive atmosphere of this night like no other already spread beyond the walls of Berlin and an expansion into other cities is in the planning.

As part of splash! Festival 2022, Nerdistan integrated gaming for the first time over two weekends for a total of 70,000 festival visitors. The listed Orangerie, which is located directly opposite the festival MAINSTAGE, was transformed into an interactive, retro gaming area with a first-class show program.