Commentary

Mixed and augmented reality reaching new heights in OOH entertainment

Super Nintendo World, scheduled to open in February 2021, inaugurates a new era in mixed reality and augmented reality out-of-home entertainment.

Image courtesy of iStock.

January 4, 2021 by Kevin Williams

The proliferation of mixed and augmented reality in combination with physical props continues at a rapid pace in out-of-home entertainment. Last week we covered a number of examples, but many more have emerged on our radar that also merit mention.

One of the most ambitious AR projects, some six years in the making, is soon to be launched.

Universal Studios Japan is about to throw open its doors called "Super Nintendo World," a $578 million development, in partnership with Nintendo. Scheduled for a Q1 2021 opening, the venue has embraced a strong interactive element, with guests able to gather coins and badges and find secrets through the space, via their wearable "Power Up Band" prop that also links into a paired smartphone app. "Super Nintendo World" is not just planned for Japan, with Universal Studios properties such as Orlando and California getting their own versions eventually. This is what is being described as one of the "most interactive theme parks ever!" The inaugural Japanese venue opening will be on Feb.4, 2021.

Recently, the veil was lifted on one of the two major attractions of the venue. "Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge" has guests competing while on a tracked dark ride attraction. Buttons are used in the ride vehicle, synced to physical and virtual effects of the attraction — elements seen by the player through special AR headsets worn throughout the ride (the digital visor is themed to look like Mario's cap).

This will be the first dedicated use of AR headsets in a theme park attraction, building on advancements in visual displays and optics — but comprising many elements familiar with the "Pepper's Ghost" application. The manufacturers of the headsets to be used on this attraction are being a closely kept secret at this time. The players will be able to compete with groups of riders on other tracks, riding in competition, virtually launching Koopa shells and collecting coins, with a new level of gamification being added to a dark ride attraction.

Nintendo has also been experimenting with AR technology in its toy product activities, creating the AR/RC-car toy line "Mario Kart Live: Home Course," launched earlier in the year.

'AR Viewers' emerge

Another less publicized AR component of the venue is the use of "AR Viewers" — digital binoculars mounted round the land, that superimpose animated effects and characters onto the real-world visuals. Using these viewers, the guests will be able to interact with the digital characters using mounted buttons, continuing their hunt for coins, badges and secret keys. This collection of badges and coins is linked to the wearable "Power Up Band" prop — and even offers, for the first time in a mainstream park, unique play elements.

Universal Studios revealed that owners of the separately purchased wearable, who have collected three or more keys, will be allowed to enter the "Power-up Band Key Challenge" attraction. They can use their band to interact with scenery and at its end take part in an interactive challenge.

Other venues are also on the move.

A recent start-up BoldMove, has announced its "AR Quest," where guests enter the augmented space through virtual gates, which then launch an AR based game experience viewed using the guest's own smartphone or provided tablets, with various game elements culminating in a themed treasure room. The platform has been developed in partnership with AR content developer ActiveMe, offering a full game experience to a location-based AR attraction.

The deployment of "digital viewers" in parks and venues, as a digital coin-operated "telescope" system, has been seen at several new venues in recent years. Examples include the "Interactive Telescope" at London's Shard viewing gallery, the 'Zacturn SCOPE' at the 2015 Austria festival, and the AiSolve "Envision" for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 2019. As well as the Kylii Kids "Kylii Viewer" that launched during IAAPA Europe 2019. These systems have also seen conventional smartphone apps achieve the same approach, more as promotional and marketing experiences such as The Museum of London's "Streetmuseum" app.

Consumer applications rising

The attractions sector must keep ahead of mixed reality development for consumer application, especially as AR headsets are expected to see consumer resurgence beyond current smartphone applications. Both Apple and Facebook are rumored to be about to launch ground-breaking consumer AR systems in a matter of months, while the Nreal Light headset saw much fanfare for its launch this year.

Manufacturers of AR headsets have been keen to use out-of-home pop-up attractions as promotional tools for their hardware in the past. Examples include the partnership between Magic Leap, HBO and AT&T, that saw an in-store "Game of Thrones" attraction using the AR in selected AT&T stores. Or recently, when Sony launched its "Ghostbusters Experience" — a full augmented multi-player attraction, running on prototype Sony AR glasses, at Ginza Sony Park in Tokyo for three months during 2019. Described as "demo debut," these examples proved valuable vehicles towards gauging public interest.

Meanwhile, the commercial design and training sectors have benefited from the launches of the Microsoft Hololens 2, as well as the launch of the Lynx-R1.

(Editor's note: Extracts from this blog are from recent coverage in The Stinger Report, published by KWP and its director, Kevin Williams, the leading interactive out-of-home entertainment news service covering the immersive frontier and beyond.)

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About Kevin Williams

Along with advisory positions with other entrants into the market he is founder and publisher of the Stinger Report, “a-must-read” e-zine for those working or investing in the amusement, attractions and entertainment industry. He is a prolific writer and provides regular news columns for main trade publications. He also travels the globe as a keynote speaker, moderator and panelist at numerous industry conferences and events. Author of “The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier: Expanding Interactive Boundaries in Leisure Facilities,” the only book on this aspect of the market, with the second edition scheduled for a 2023 release.

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