Are holograms the future of board games?
AR tabletop gaming platform Tilt Five this week announced a new partnership with Asmodee Digital, a subsidiary of legendary French board game publisher Asmodee Group, to develop a series of holographic tabletop games brought to life using AR (augmented reality) technology.
In the official announcement Tilt Five confirmed they’re working to reimagine select titles for the AR tabletop format. Founded in 1995, Asmodee is behind classic titles such as Settlers of Catan, Gloomhaven, Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, and Terraforming Mars just to name a few. While it’s unclear which games will receive holographic adaptations, there’s a good chance the team will use a recognizable IP to draw attention to this ambitious new venture.
“Asmodee Digital’s goal is to bring great game IPs to new platforms and Tilt Five offers a new way to engage with our games,” said Pierre Ortolan, CEO of Asmodee Digital in an official release. “We’re excited to be on the forefront of this new technology and be able to offer our gamers an added level of immersion that they won’t find anywhere else!”
The Tilt Five platform works using a variety of technology. Players use wand-like controllers to interact with virtual content brought to life on the game board via a pair of PC/mobile-powered AR glasses. The result is a unique mixed reality experience guaranteed to spice up family game night.
We had the chance to go hands-on with the one-of-kind system during Magic Leap’s inaugural L.E.A.P. developer conference back in 2019. The demo, while brief, left me infinitely curious about the future of AR board games.
The game, Air New Zealand Fact or Fantasy?, had me and several other players traveling throughout a virtual rendition of New Zealand while an adorable kiwi tested our knowledge of the beautiful two-island nation. What I loved most about the experience was the tiny details peppered throughout. As I played I could spot miniature whales breaching the water and parachuters navigating precariously through the mountains. I could even interact with swarms of birds as they flew past.
“At Tilt Five we are re-defining game night by combining the best of video games and board games in a revolutionary and easy to use system,” said Jeri Ellsworth, CEO of Tilt Five inc. “We are delighted to partner with Asmodee Digital and bring a new way for families to come together and play their popular titles.”
Tilt Five is currently showcasing its AR tabletop platform at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco from March 23-25, 2022.
Image Credit: Tilt Five
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