UNIT9, the award-winning production & experience design studio, has announced that it has partnered with LaLiga Entertainment – comprising LaLiga, PortAventura World and Kosmos – and COPA90 to launch a football-themed, GPS-enabled AR app. The new Beat Challenge app brings the excitement of PortAventura World and LaLiga into the hands of visitors, fusing the theme park experience with sport and gaming to elevate the in-park visit.
The hybrid experience blurs the lines between the physical and virtual worlds, enhancing the physical infrastructure of the park with a digital overlay, layering extra storytelling and unlockable content.
Elevating the in-park experience
Using AR and geolocation technology, The Beat Challenge allows PortAventura World to bring gamified football-themed experiences to life within its various themed zones. Guests come across 200ft tall AR footballers such as Gerard Piqué, Karim Benzema and Jan Oblak, as they take part in over 40 football-themed games. These games can also be tracked on an interactive map.
To engage the visitors further, the app allows them to create their own customised avatar, featuring different skin, hair and eye colours as well as clothing and accessories that enable their self-expression in the virtual world. In addition, they can discover new items and unlockable games as they explore, meaning that they can discover and create their own personal journey.
For a teaser of the app, guests can access a training mode from home, giving them a taste of the in-park experience.
Danny Buzlaff, head of Attractions by UNIT9 says: “The Beat Challenge has harnessed augmented reality to completely change the game for visitor attractions – by adding a whole new layer to the in-park experience we’ve effectively fused the physical and virtual worlds to give guests an incredibly exciting new hybrid playground to explore.
“This is just the start of an exciting immersive future for location-based entertainment venues who want to break those physical boundaries.”
The Beat Challenge is available to download from the iOS and Android app stores now.
Earlier this year, UNIT9 announced the launch of a brand new division, Attractions by UNIT9, designed to supercharge the visitor attractions market.
