The video caught the attention of Snap, Nitanic, and even Disney.
Los Angeles-based augmented reality (AR) startup Jadu has released a new video on its official Twitter account, teasing a next-generation multiplayer fighting game that can be played on smartphones anytime, anywhere.
Details are scarce at the moment, but it appears to be an AR game that allows you to fight in a third-person view, rather than a first-person view (like Pokemon GO). Registration for the game is currently available on the official website.
Jadu is an American startup company specializing in Web3 and AR technologies. Its smartphone app “Jadu”, released in 2020, is an AR software that displays artists’ 3DCG art and allows users to participate in a performance by moving alongside their favorite artist, and even capture videos of them singing together.
Many artists have participated, including the rock band Palaye Royale, and the app attracted a lot of attention. In May 2022, it was reported that Jadu successfully raised $36 million in funding and is now building the AR game platform “Jadu Mirrorverse”. NFT avatars and items for Jadu’s platform will be sold on the creator marketplace OpenSea.
In an interview at GamesBeat Summit 2023, Jadu CEO Asad J. Malik said he agrees with the gaming community’s criticism of NFTs, saying that many companies are selling low-quality items or engaging in fraudulent behavior. As a company that has already made $5 million in sales from its Jetpack NFT (an item that gives your avatar the ability to fly in the metaverse), Malik refers to Jadu not as a traditional gaming company, but as an AR company focused on building real gameplay.
Jadu’s vision, according to Malik, is to transform the typical first-person AR experience into a third-person game where the character interacts on behalf of the player, along with creating immersive experiences, not just selling and trading items.
Malik’s recent post on Discord indicates that the video released by Jadu has not only attracted the attention of the firm’s Twitter following, but has also been noticed by major companies such as Snap, Nitanic, Disney, Magic Leap, and others. The developer also mentioned that the game will have the ability to detect walls or other obstacles in the environment, although it may depend on the phone’s sensor capabilities rather than the game itself.