Dear Internet,

Square Enix is pleased to announce that the highly-anticipated Shadow of the Tomb Raider video game’s launch is just around the corner, arriving to your screens on September 14th. Prior to the big release, we partnered with the creative minds at Barkley agency to help us bring a big surprise for you. Wrapped in the cutest packaging you’ll probably ever see; this gift will make you go from “Ahhh” to “Awww” in just a few seconds.

Ladies and gentlemen, we present the Shadow of the Cute Raider, a fun an intense trailer that recreates the original video in a creative manner. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

Love, the Square Enix team 

Look, you don’t have to take this letter too seriously. That’s just us suggesting how Square Enix would start addressing the internet, which the brand decided to surprise with what the online fellows love the most: games and animals.

Although these are internet’s most beloved things, it’s pretty hard to combine them both and achieve something really amazing. Well, not for Square Enix, which put their minds together with the Kansas-based agency and launched a game trailer with all roles carried out by actual cats and dogs.

For those of you who are not that familiar with the computer game (which is also available on Xbox and PlayStation), we invite you to first take a peek at the game’s original trailer. We’ll leave the cherry on top to be discovered a few moments later.

OK, so you’ve seen Lara Croft’s big adventure in the jungle. Now it’s time for you to be enchanted by a series of furry characters that go through the same plot. Ready? Start!

Meet ‘Doggo Croft,’ an Australian shepherd that plays the role of the invincible super woman. Just like in the original trailer, the hairy pal is spotted in the jungle, only in this version of the video, he is chasing feline combatants, trying to trick them with cheeky gadgets that the cats can’t resist. The ‘doggo’ then has to defeat some more furry villains to reach to a Mayan altar, where a hairless feline version of the evil High Priest prepares for a religious, and cute, sacrifice.

With a razor in its hand, the cat prepares to (probably) skin the cute puppy. While adopting the infamous threatening position, the feline gets distracted by nothing else than a vacuum cleaner. Will the cat still be able to complete its evil plan, or will the dog make it and save the puppy from its sharp claws? Check the video below and find out!

“This game trailer is intense, so we wanted to counterbalance that with cuteness. Plus, we all know the internet loves puppies”, said Katy Hornaday, EVP/Executive Creative Director at Barkley in a press release. And she’s not wrong!

The story was launched just in time for the #NationalDogDay. According to Game Rant magazine, all proceeds from the sale of the Shadow of the Tomb Raider for Xbox One X will go to Best Friends Animal Society, an NGO with a lifetime mission ‘to save them all,’ both cute dogs and lovely kittens.

Sadly, the brand doesn’t plan to transform the trailer into an actual game even though there are users who are willing to play the Shadow of the Cute Raider rather than the Shadow of the Tomb Raider…

Credits:

Client: Square Enix

Sr. Director Americas Marketing, Western Studios – Morten Haugaard

Associate Director of Product Marketing, Square Enix – Jon Grant,

Product Marketing Manager, AJ LaSaracina

Marketing Coordinator, Product Marketing, Square Enix – Ray Velez

Director of Creative Services, Square Enix – Michael Bannon

Global Brand Director, Crystal Dynamics – Rich Briggs

Brand Manager, Crystal Dynamics – Chris Johnston

Associate Brand Manager, Crystal Dynamics – Katie Swindlehurst

Agency: Barkley

Chief Idea Officer -Tim Galles

EVP Executive Creative Director – Katy Hornaday

Creative Director – Doug Hentges

Creative Director – Chris Cima

Associate Creative Director – Jordan Breindel

Associate Creative Director – Jeremy Gilberto

Director of Integrated Production – Melany Esfeld

Senior Producer – JP McIntosh

Producer – Shawn Wallace

VP,Engagement – Joe Cox

VP, Brand Leadership – Tyler Cook

Senior Strategist – Molly Griffin

Strategist – Patrick Cooper

Content Manager – Brandon Painter

Project Manager – Lisa Nicolay

Production company – JOJX

Directors – Rocky Morton, Jackson Morton

Executive Producer – Joe Care

Producer – Cliff Schumacher

Post-production company – Cosmo Street

Editor- Zack Winick

Executive Producer – Yvette Cobarrubias-Sears

Head of Production – Marie Mangahas

Producer – Chelsea Spensley

Assistant Editor – Jason Overbeck

Flame Artist – Shinya Sato

Music/Sound Design – Beacon Street

Sound Designer/Mixer – Amber Tisue

Mix assistant – Aaron Cornacchio

SD/Mix Producer – Kate Vadnais

Color – Apache Digital

Colorist – Quinn Alvarez

Color Assistants – Rigoberto Madrigal, Luis Amaya

Producer – Caitlin Forrest

Executive Producer – LaRue Anderson