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How Digital Domain Turned the World into a Video Game for ‘Free Guy’
In 20th Century Studios’ Free Guy, the lines between real and digital are deliberately blurred, with the focus jumping between live-action and CG based on the point of view of the characters. For the filmmakers, it was like creating two movies in one, each requiring different techniques, from replacing actors with digidoubles to creating entire CG cities. With only a handful of visual effects studios in the world capable of doing it all, 20th Century Studios turned to veteran VFX house and Oscar® winner, Digital Domain.
“We worked closely with Shawn Levy and the filmmakers to essentially create Free City twice, once by augmenting live-action footage with digital additions, and again as a fully CG environment right out of a video game,” said Nikos Kalaitzidis, Digital Domain VFX supervisor. “There’s really nothing else out there that is quite like it, and that allowed us to do things we’ve never done before.”
The Two Sides of Free City
Free Guy begins with a live-action introduction to the metropolis of Free City, as one of the game’s top players makes his dramatic entrance. As the character “BadAss” plummets toward the city, filmmakers used a combination of digital and practical effects, beginning with footage of the actor in a wire harness suspended by a retractable crane. BadAss soon turns his descent in a low-opening skydive, featuring a CG parachute, landing perfectly in a waiting convertible supercar. To make the transition from the fall to the landing, artists at Digital Domain created digidoubles of the actor, making an otherwise impossible stunt seem natural.
As the car speeds off into Free City, the filmmakers used a multi-camera rig and a crane on the car itself to film on the streets of Boston and against green screens. Digital Domain took that real footage of the car, the actor and the actress in the passenger seat, and created a new set of digi-humans for each performer, along with a CG model of the car. They then switched between live-action and digidoubles as the car dodges grenades, crowds, trees, motorbikes and more, all added by Digital Domain. Using a combination of live city footage with plates and CG buildings, the scene then pans up and through the window of the film’s protagonist Guy (Ryan Reynolds), as he awakes blissfully unaffected by the insanity around him.
Digital Domain began with previsualization, providing the filmmakers with multiple iterations of the city and what the world in general looked like, from both the live-action and game sides. Once Guy begins to gain notoriety, players frequently see his avatar wandering through the digital version of Free City. To create the game setting, Digital Domain used the previs assets, and built over 89 3D environments, created from modular buildings, then altered with different textures and materials. Artists then added individual flourishes by hand to replicate and stylize the real-world locations, including storefronts, residential and commercial buildings and more.
Mixing Worlds
To populate the digital version of Free City, Digital Domain created digital versions of many of the characters, including Guy. To create the digital protagonist, Reynolds went to Digital Domain’s motion capture stages, where the actions for his movements were recorded and added to a library. He participated in a series of facial scans, all of which were combined to create a game-version of Guy that was similar to Reynolds, but slimmed down and stylized.
With Guy’s legend growing, the two worlds blur more and more, leading to a confrontation at a construction site. As two players sent by the developers – one dressed as a pink bunny, the other as a cop – chase Guy into an unfinished skyscraper, Digital Domain created both the interior and exterior of the building. The actors then performed in front of green screens and physical set pieces, allowing the filmmakers to create a superhuman chase.
As the action progresses upward, Guy jumps from floor to floor with inhuman ability, dodging weapons fire throughout. To allow Guy to move with unnatural movement, Digital Domain introduced a digidouble of Reynolds, while also adding additional props and environmental damage to fill out the scene. The environment then begins to morph thanks to the machinations of the game’s programmers. Digital Domain then ensured the shifting building retained the proper scale against the actors, while artists continually adjusted the lighting and textures. Guy eventually reaches the top of the building, where drone and helicopter footage was used to convey the sense of movement. It also gave a foundation for the live-action world outside, which was altered to reflect the fictional city’s skyline.
After falling from the building, Guy selects a “bubble suit,” which allows him to bounce safely – if awkwardly – toward the ground. To create the scene, the filmmakers used a stunt performer on wires positioned against a green screen for close shots, and a digidouble version of Reynolds for the wide shots and the more extreme bounces. Reynolds himself was then filmed in a prop bubble to show Guy after reaching the ground. The footage was then combined with recordings of a fast descent captured by a drone.
Digital Domain also helped to create Free City’s “Multiplayer Lounge,” a location where avatars can mingle, explore in-game weapons and watch feeds of the game world on large jumbotron screens. The multi-story structure regularly features dozens of players, all of which were recorded separately against a blue screen and added later by Digital Domain. The footage of the game – including a memorable moment when the live-action Guy sees a digital version of himself – were also provided by the VFX studio.
Along with the digital version of the main actors, Digital Domain also created an additional 46 3D hero and background assets to help populate Free City.
The End of the World
When Guy grows too popular, the developers decide to reboot the game and start over. The sequence needed a unique look that still honored the game motif, so Digital Domain went back in time. Artists referenced low-res texture mapping and glitches from 80s video games.
The deletion of the world was completed using a relatively new technique known as “data-moshing,” where movement in one layer of footage is applied to another. The result is a scene that looks as if a digital video has been pixelated and damaged. To create this effect, Digital Domain used Houdini to render low-res texture maps, while combining it with Nuke. After a psychedelic final swirl, the world disappears, leaving a white void where only Guy remains.
Rebuilding Actors
Along with the traditional digidouble work and animated characters, Free Guy also marks one of the first feature film uses of Digital Domain’s proprietary face-swapping tool, Charlatan. Utilizing neural networks, Charlatan takes existing footage and analyzes the movements down to the minutia. Artists then introduce a new face digitally constructed by hand, and the neural network in Charlatan matches it with the existing footage, replacing the original performance. Artists can then alter the facial movements to incorporate new expressions.
Late in the film, BadAss gives a speech with far-reaching implications. It’s vital to the plot and tone, and after seeing the finished results, the filmmakers decided that they needed to change the dialogue and add to it for the scene to have the necessary impact. Rather than schedule a new series of reshoots and force the actor back to read a handful of lines, various methods of animating the digital character were employed, with none producing a realistic and acceptable result. So Digital Domain decided to try Charlatan.
Artists created a new facial model of BadAss by hand, then used Charlatan to combine it with the original performance. Once the neural network was able to link the two and replace the original animation, the results were a more realistic digital avatar that could then mimic the actor’s facial mannerisms and movements to mimic reading the new lines. The actor then later recorded the new dialogue in ADR.
“Free Guy was an ambitious project that required expertise in multiple techniques and disciplines to make it. And that’s exactly what Digital Domain was built for,“ said John Fragomeni, global VFX president at Digital Domain. “We worked closely with the filmmakers to help create a unique look and feel for the live-action world of Free City and the gameplay world, and we think audiences are going to be blown away by what they see.”
Free Guy is in theaters now.
Win Systems will once again be present at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Las Vegas 2025, one of the most important events in the industry worldwide. The expo will take place from October 7 to 9 at The Venetian Expo and Win Systems will welcome all its clients at booth #2050.
During the event, the company will showcase multiple innovations across its different business lines, specially developed and adapted to the needs of each market. Within the Systems division, Win Systems will present innovations designed for both casinos and the route market, as well as an important new development in its Electronic Payment Solutions Business Unit.
In addition, the company will unveil new models of roulette, slots, and games that promise to impress operators and players alike, consolidating its position as a leader in innovation and entertainment experiences.
“G2E Las Vegas is the ideal stage to showcase our latest innovations and the result of months of work and development. This year we arrive with proposals designed to meet the challenges and opportunities of each market, always maintaining our mission to continue driving the future of Gaming,” said Eric Benchimol, CEO of Win Systems.
Win Systems invites all industry professionals to visit its booth to experience its latest launches firsthand and see how its comprehensive solutions continue to set trends in the sector.
For more information about Win Systems and its cutting-edge gaming solutions, visit winsysgroup.com
After securing entry into its second US state, and with a third firmly in sight, RubyPlay is sharpening its compliance strategy to balance speed with precision. Amanda Slonzon, VP of Compliance and Regulatory Strategy, explains how the company’s US Playbook is helping to turn regulation into a growth engine, from leveraging New Jersey as a benchmark, to preparing for Pennsylvania’s unique challenges, and building trust-based relationships with regulators and partners across the industry.
When people think about compliance in the US iGaming industry, they often imagine it as the handbrake that slows expansion and stifles innovation. For me, it is the opposite as compliance sits in the driver’s seat. It is not simply a support function but a product in itself that enables us to grow faster, enter new markets with confidence and strengthen our relationships across the industry.
The US online casino market is both highly promising and highly fragmented. Only seven states currently regulate iGaming and each has its own framework. Navigating this landscape requires a deep understanding of both the common threads between states and the subtle differences that can make or break a market entry.
This is why we have developed a US Playbook at RubyPlay, which is a detailed, in-house framework for understanding and applying state-by-state requirements in a way that is tailored to our products and infrastructure. With it, our compliance and regulatory specialists break down each regulation, interpret it in the context of our business, and share that knowledge across the company.
Market comparisons
New Jersey will always be the starting point for most operators and suppliers entering the US. It was the pioneer of state-level regulation and, in many ways, still sets the standard for others to follow. Meeting New Jersey’s requirements ensures a company is well-prepared for other states, many of which recognise its certifications. Delaware, for example, places direct reliance on New Jersey approvals, a pragmatic approach that can streamline entry for those already licensed in the Garden state. But even with these efficiencies, each state demands its own level of preparation and adaptation.
Regulators in the US take compliance very seriously and ensure that every technical aspect of a business meets their requirements. Unlike some EU markets, where providers may not need a B2B license, every US state requires B2B licensing through a thorough, state-specific process. While major shifts are rare, when they occur they can significantly impact the industry. Right now, sweepstakes is the most talked-about development, and with New Jersey’s Governor having recently signed the ban into law, we are seeing a wave of prohibition that will have a major impact across the industry. Our role is to remain attentive, follow changes daily, and ensure we stay as compliant as we intend to be.
Every state also has its own technical standards, licensing requirements, tax structures, and approaches to product approval. For example, Pennsylvania applies the highest tax rate on operators in the country yet remains one of the most attractive among operators. It also has a deeply ingrained gaming culture and a large, active player base. Entering a state like Pennsylvania, which is a key target for RubyPlay in 2026, is not just about passing compliance checks but more about understanding the regulator’s expectations, the market’s economic realities and the cultural context of its players.
Fostering close relationships
One of the most important aspects of operating in the US is the strength of relationships with key stakeholders across the entire ecosystem. I have always believed that a strong relationship with the regulator is just as critical as meeting their requirements on paper. We work to ensure that regulators see us as partners who bring solutions, not problems. We communicate openly and demonstrate that we take their rules as seriously as they do. The same process applies to how we work alongside our industry partners. From platform providers or operator customer, we approach every partnership as a collaborative effort to succeed together.
Culture plays a vital role in how we approach regulation. Compliance is considered a technical discipline, but ultimately it is powered by people who care about getting processes and frameworks robust. I am proud to lead a team that is collaborative and solution-oriented. One of my proudest moments recently came during a recruitment process where I was speaking with a candidate for a role within our compliance team. She told me she had been following RubyPlay closely and was so impressed by our company culture, the pride we take in our work and the way we treat our people, that she was willing to relocate to another country just to join the team. It is a real story that speaks to the environment we have built.
Regulation in the US is not going to advance overnight. The state-by-state approach will remain and evolve, and new product categories will emerge that challenge existing frameworks. My perspective is that the companies who thrive will be the ones who embrace this complexity, invest in understanding it deeply, and treat compliance as a strategic asset rather than an operational hurdle.
The US Playbook we have developed is our way of making that happen. It is an ever-evolving strategy that keeps us compliant, competitive and ready for whatever comes next.
The popular crash game Aviatrix has entered a strategic partnership with Brazilian operator Todos Querem Jogar (TQJ) to bring the hit title to the recently launched brand Bet do Milhão.
TQJ is a Brazil-licensed operator and an investee company of the Silvio Santos Group, one of the country’s largest media conglomerates. Its first brand, Bet do Milhão, is inspired by Show do Milhão, the iconic Brazilian TV game show, and debuts with a full portfolio of sports betting and online gaming, with a strong focus on innovation, security, and responsible play.
Through the partnership, Bet do Milhão players will now enjoy the full Aviatrix experience, including one of the most dynamic and engaging crash game mechanics in the world.
Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “This partnership with TQJ and Bet do Milhão is a perfect fit. Aviatrix is about delivering exciting and intuitive gameplay, which aligns perfectly with the Bet do Milhão concept. This is another key milestone in establishing Aviatrix as one of the most popular online casino games in Brazil.”
Leonardo Sampaio, Chief Operating Officer at Todos Querem Jogar, added: “We want to combine the Brazilian way of having fun with the very best in technology and content available in the market. That’s why bringing Aviatrix to our new brand was a priority. We are excited to build a long-term relationship with the team and are confident the game will be hugely successful with our players.”
Aviatrix has been rapidly expanding in Brazil in recent months. In April 2025, the game received full federal certification to operate via licensed operators nationwide, as well as a dedicated certification for the state of Paraná.
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