Though the arrival of winter posed ominous beginnings for the people of Westeros, for employees of Facebook, the seasonal shift brings only excitement with the promise an epic end-of-year celebration – and 2019 proved to be no exception.
Employees of the California-based social networking giant flocked to Pier 80 in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco on December 6 and 7 to revel in an elaborate holiday party themed entirely around the hit HBO show, Game of Thrones.
And Facebook – said to be worth $564billion – appeared to spare no expense for the two-day Westerosi festive throwdown, laying on dancing White Walkers and extravagant feasting tables all centered around a towering iron throne.
Designed to resemble castle halls, the large venue was accented by a number of props – such as shields and swords – as well as a series of direwolf walkways, all seeking to transcend the space into the mystical kingdom of ‘Winterbook’.
Facebook, said to be worth $564 billion, appeared to spare no expense for the two-day Westerosi hoedown, which was complete with dancing White Walkers, extravagant feasting tables and a towering iron throne
The Kingdom of Winterbook: The large venue was designed to resemble castle halls, accented by a number of props – such as shields and swords – as well as a series of direwolf walkways
Facebook workers pose for photos with Game of Throne’s infamous antagonists, the White Walkers
Direwolf walkways divided up much of the space’s individually themed sections, which included bars and eating spots all complete with drinks and food named in reference to the show
A feast fit for a king: guests at the two-night event at Pier 80 were able to indulge in large and elaborate spreads throughout the evening
Guests were issued a map of the kingdom upon arrival, which was divided into a number of different areas including the ‘Hall of Facebook’, a Braavos-themed photo-booth; Healers Point, a first-aid center; the Bar of the Iron Throne, which served on-theme food such as Little Fingers’ little chicken fingers; and a mock-up medieval village.
Attendees were given the chance to channel their inner Arya Stark and try their hand at archery, or ascend The Wall in the icy North and pose for photos at the top of Castle Black thanks to a custom green-screen photo booth.
They were also able to recreate the infamous Red Wedding scene at another photo station, and were even treated to live music from a marching band, who paraded around the party playing iconic scores from the show including The Rains of Castamere.
The ostentatious event comes as the latest elaborate employee party thrown by Facebook, arguably topping 2018’s holiday get-together when the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company created an entire winter village in San Francisco, which included chainsaw ice-sculpting and a ski-lift gondola.
This year’s festivities encompassed employees from all of Facebook’s main apps and services – such as Instagram, Whatsapp, Oculus and Messenger – with many of them quick to share an exclusive glimpse inside the event on social media.
Mark Zuckerberg did attend the party, though it remains unclear whether he dressed up in costume for the occasion.
Guests were issued a map of the kingdom upon arrival, which was divided into a number of different areas including the ‘Hall of Facebook’, a Braavos-themed photo-booth; Healers Point, a first-aid center; the Bar of the Iron Throne, which served on-theme food such as Little Fingers’ little chicken fingers; and a mock-up medieval village
Attendees were given the chance to channel their inner Arya Stark and try their hand at archery, or ascend The Wall in the icy North with the help of a customized green screen
Two party-goers pose atop the wall at Castle Black – one of the many photo-opportunities available to revelers
They were also able to recreate the infamous Red Wedding scene at another photo station, or pose as John and Khaleesi on dragonback
The ostentatious event comes as the latest elaborate employee party thrown by Facebook, arguably topping 2018’s holiday get-together when the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company created an entire winter village in San Francisco, which included chainsaw ice-sculpting and a ski-lift gondola
Guests were even treated to live music from a marching band, who paraded around the party playing iconic scores from the show including The Rains of Castamere
The conclusion of 2019 will bring an end to a dogged year for Facebook, which has been blemished by a series of high-profile scandals including Cambridge Analytica.
Facebook was also forced to pay $5 billion to the FTC after breaching its users’ privacy, fiercely scrutinized by politicians over its Libra digital currency plans, criticized over its role in the fact-checking of political advertisements and Zuckerberg himself was summoned into front of Congress for a second time.
To add to its woes, on Thursday Facebook’s shares dropped 2.7% shortly before closing after the Wall Street Journal reported the Federal Trade Commission is considering seeking a preliminary injunction against the social media giant over mounting antitrust concerns into how the company’s apps interact with each other and work with rivals.
The injunction would be sought under the grounds that Facebook is breaking inter-operability rules, which regulates how digital platforms interact.
FTC officials are concerned by how Facebook integrates its apps – including Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger – and allows them to work with potential rivals, sources told the outlet.
The FTC could file for an injunction as early as January.
The Red Wedding: guests pose up for their own interpretation for one of the HBO smash-hit show’s most infamous scenes
Even the White Walkers were given the chance to blow off some steam as they performed a dance routine during a DJ set to close out the event
The conclusion of 2019 will bring an end to a dogged year for Facebook, which has been blemished by a series of high-profile scandals including Cambridge Analytica
