Play Extra began as a revival of “Breite Fette Information” and its genre of extra-wide typefaces for titles and advertisements. In pursuit of even more pronounced proportions, Play Extra evolved into a variable font with a controllable “Stretch” axis. The design builds upon Adrian Frutiger’s concept for Icone, which he developed in response to the emerging capability of distorting typefaces through manipulation in CRT typesetting technology. Frutiger recognised that wide, narrow, or slanted variations produced through such mechanical distortion failed to meet the optical standards necessary for proper typographic expression. This insight led him to conceive Icone, characterised by a strongly modulated stroke that maintained its integrity across different widths. By using variable font technology and a precise design with straight lines between the curves to maintain the original boxy character, Play Extra always retains its proper typographic expression. With its robust structure, Play Extra transforms stretching from a crude distortion into a refined design tool.