Test Respawn Riders Republic
Reimagining iconic music for storytelling in new cultural contexts
Managing complex licensing workflows with clarity and foresight
Bridging creativity and production through a collaborative, end-to-end process
Providing strategic guidance early on to align creative ambition with budgetary and legal feasibility
Projects:
In 2018, Ubisoft approached Benzène to take part in the strategic development of a major launch: a new installment in their extreme sports video game franchise. Our mission was to identify an iconic track that could embody the core values of the game — community, challenge, and pushing boundaries.
What made this collaboration especially valuable for Ubisoft was Benzène’s early involvement in the creative process. Thanks to our broad service offering — including music supervision, creative direction, and licensing management — we were able to provide clear visibility on both the creative potential and the financial feasibility of different musical options right from the outset.
In preparation for the game’s reveal at E3, the world’s leading video game expo, we began an in-depth music research phase. Working closely with Ubisoft’s creative and development teams, we explored a wide range of musical directions to support the emotional arc of the trailer. Our recommendation — “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” — was met with immediate enthusiasm across all stakeholders. Its message of resilience and unity made it a perfect match for the world of Riders Republic. As with many major video game franchises, the ambition was to reinterpret a culturally iconic song in a bold, unexpected way. The goal was not just to score the trailer, but to create a new pop culture object — one that reactivates a powerful emotional memory and reframes it within a new cultural context: the adrenaline-fueled, communal world of extreme sports.