Game on

Trucking definitely isn’t child’s play, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be a game … well, sort of. Thanks to UD Trucks, you can now experience high-octane action on a mobile-platform racing game, known as the Ekiden Saga. It isn’t entirely fictional, however, as the game’s characters are modelled after real employees at UD Trucks.

“Ekiden Saga is going to be super fun for casual players, but will also show our passion for transport efficiency to customers and truck drivers around the world,” says Andreas Rosén, manager of digital communication at UD Trucks. The game is available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

The aim of the game? A secret cargo must reach its final destination safely and efficiently, without anyone laying eyes on it. It’s a team job as some distances can only be travelled by foot. (Fitting, as Ekiden is a Japanese form of long-distance road relay.) The task calls for an unbroken transport chain with both trucks and runners moving at a high pace through a vibrant gaming world, with many levels and environments.

During the game’s development, UD Trucks invited its employees to nominate their colleagues to serve as models for the game. The chosen recruits were then designed as colourful characters with superpowers adapted for long-distance running or truck driving.

According to Misa Watanabe, brand management at UD Trucks, it was important to engage the staff in the development: “Each character has a unique personality and unique strengths, but they are all highly motivated to get the cargo to the destination on time. That demonstrates our dedication to always go the extra mile and to always keep our customers’ businesses moving forward – whatever happens.”

You can download the game from iTunes and Google Play.