Sparkasse banks on pigs

German banking corporation Sparkasse has launched a horror-themed video game on Fortnite.

The game, called Schwein Gehabt, which translates in English to Having a Pig, an expression which also means being lucky, is launching in Germany and players must rescue piggy bank Berta from a haunted house while taking on a series of challenges.

Created by Jung von Matt Sports the game is created in collaboration with gaming studio Beyond Creative and is the first venture into Fortnite for Sparkasse. The bank, however, has previous gaming experience with eSports team Eintracht Spandau, which is led by famous gaming streamer HandofBlood. 

Schwein Gehabt is being promoted via horror-movie style trailer, which features a little girl terrorising a piggy bank and which was created by JvM Sports alongside Passion Pictures and director Jon Saunders. Sparkasse will also be featuring the Fortnite game nationwide in its own branches with giveaways, displays and other products.

"Anyone aiming to reach young people today must understand their culture – and participate in shaping it," said Janine Schumann, Head of Campaign Management in the newsroom of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. "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."

“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," added Kevin Claus, Client Service Director at Jung von Matt SPORTS. "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.”