intu and ADI introduce play as you shop video games to Revo 2018
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New technology that lets people compete in giant video games whilst they shop is being showcased by shopping centre owner intu and big screen specialists ADI this week.
Attendees of retail property conference Revo will be able to take part in a series of multiplayer games running on ADI’s massive 150 sq m 4K screen using their mobile phone as controllers, following a trial at intu Merry Hill earlier in the year.
intu has been working with Rhythm, the start-up behind the technology, as part of its drive to introduce more game-changing technologies to the retail sector.
Hundreds of people took part in the intu Merry Hill trial in July which sought to test how Rhythm’s product Piing, which creates multiplayer games for up to 200 people at time, could drive up footfall, attract younger shoppers and benefit retailers.
It was one of seven new technologies to be trialled at intu shopping centres and online at intu.co.uk over the summer as part of start-up incubator programme, intu Accelerate.
Other companies to take part in intu Accelerate this year included Greendeck which uses AI to help fashion brands and retailers automatically classify products into categories and was crowned ‘start-up of the year’ in Retail Week’s Tech. Awards 2018 last week.
David Fischel, intu chief executive, said: “We’re continuing to explore how technology could offer our customers an even better experience and create new opportunities for our retailers to thrive. intu Accelerate is empowering our business to find more ways to innovate in partnership with some of the smartest start-up companies out there.
“Hundreds of shoppers can take part in any one of these games at a time and this created a real sense of excitement among shoppers when we trialled the technology at intu Merry Hill earlier this year. Retailers were also quick to get behind the initiative by providing plenty of prizes for those taking part so we think this is something we can build on with future trials.”
Drew Burrow, ADI’s business development manager, commented, “Thriving retail destinations are focusing on creating a more immersive and interactive experience, and our LED screens and digital canvases are the ideal platform to deliver them. Further to the successful trial at intu Merry Hill on our Epoch screen, we’re thrilled to work with Rhythm and intu in bringing multiplayer video gaming to REVO 2018 on a huge-scale.”
intu also became the first shopping centre landlord to introduce its own shoppable visual search tool this year, which matches up pictures with products from more than 500 retailers selling on intu.co.uk, and has run a succession of virtual reality and augmented reality experiences in its centres.
