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When video game giant EA Sports rolled out its newest football games, College Football 27 and Madden 27, was called upon to help cheer on the game to its legion of fans.

As part of a special Opening Drive showcase event held in Chicago earlier this month, Otto was selected as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) representative, participating in a video promoting the event and performing assorted athletic challenges with mascots from other major athletic conferences from across the country.

Syracuse University’s was front and center capturing content of Otto alongside some of the country’s preeminent content creators.

“For Otto and Syracuse to be chosen to represent the College Football series is such a cool honor,” says , the University’s mascot coach. “This is a great fit for Otto and for our Orange fans. Otto represents the University and the ACC with such class and positivity, and with nonstop energy, Otto can connect with everyone. It was such a fun trip for Otto to advance our reputation.”

Otto Once Again Featured in Popular Mascot Mashup

Otto’s athletic prowess was on display at the Opening Drive event, with Otto outperforming fellow mascots in a game of cornhole, throwing a football with accuracy in the various skills competitions and serving as the center for the mascot team during the filming of the game’s commercial.

Otto chose the right time to showcase their athleticism, especially with College Football 27 bringing back one of the fan favorites: mascot mashup, where fans can take the field for a game pitting school mascots against each other.

Walas says EA Sports representatives have reported that the most popular mascot matchup pits Otto against the Stanford University Tree.

“Who doesn’t want to see an orange and a tree play college football? It’s a matchup that just goes together, since oranges grow on trees. It’s a fun feature and any time you can match Otto up against another mascot in a competition is a good thing,” Walas says.

When gamers are deciding which mascot to play as, Walas says Otto’s high endurance and energy level, combined with an ability to accurately throw a football and perform precise spin moves make Otto a strong candidate.

“We’ve heard from fans that they used to play as Otto back before mascot mode was taken away, so it’s cool that the feature is back in the game,” Walas says. “Don’t sleep on Otto! I hope people find a lot of enjoyment in this and decide to play as Otto.”

And how would Otto celebrate scoring a touchdown? “Definitely the Otto airplane!” Walas says.

Content Creators Take Center Stage

Documenting Otto’s every move in Chicago was Thomas O’Brien ’25, project coordinator for the Center for the Creator Economy. Equipped with only an iPhone 17 Max Pro and a portable charger, O’Brien captured hours of content alongside social media influencers from around the country who were live streaming gameplay, recording podcasts and providing real-time feedback on the new titles.

O’Brien says many customers curious about a new release will first watch their favorite Twitch streamer try out the new features before purchasing the game.

“You couldn’t walk more than 10 feet without seeing somebody capturing content. Everybody was documenting their experiences, and it was clear that the creator economy is a big part of the gaming industry,” O’Brien says. “Content creators are how these games get marketed and promoted on a large scale.”