Chaos Karts uses digital projections to deliver a one-of-a-kind interactive combat racing experience.
Launching August 2021 near Brick Lane in East London, Chaos Karts combines augmented reality (AR) technology with conventional go-kart racing to offer what the company promises to be a next-gen battle racing experience perfect for those looking to duke it out against friends, family, and strangers without causing any real-world damage.
Developed by The Ents Inc, this ambitious AR-powered experience will have racers going head-to-head throughout a variety of unique circuit designs using real-life go-karts. What sets Chaos Karts apart from conventional go-kart providers, however, is its use of digital projection technology, which allows you to interact and interfere with other racers on the track in real-time.
Similar to popular video games such as Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing, and Crash Nitro Kart, Chaos Karts will allow you to collect in-kart power-ups as well as “launch” various AR projectiles at your fellow racers.
Instead of wearing a headset or viewing the action through a smart device, however, these AR visuals are displayed on the track itself using digital projection technology. Each time you fire a weapon, you’ll see the AR projectile traveling towards your opponent in the real world. These digital elements remove the need for any costly physical obstructions and—when combined with the companies anti-collision technology—result in a safer racing experience compared to conventional go-karting, in which colliding with fellow racers is a common occurrence.
“We are so excited to be launching this brand-new attraction, and especially to be doing so this summer. Creating a real-life version of a videogame has been an obsession for some time and we are delighted to have cracked it,” said Tom Lionetti-Maguire, founder of Chaos Karts, in an official statement.
“Every time you play it, the adrenaline, the pure elation of it… it still surprises me every time. The gamification of experiences is a phenomenon that is here to stay, and this is the purest distillation of it… it’s a game and an experience, wrapped up in a whole load of silliness, with a sprinkling of nostalgia for good measure. Chaos Karts is game changer. All this and opening in time for a summer of fun that we so desperately deserve, is frankly a dream come true!”
We’ve seen several attempts at replicating the kart-racing formula using immersive technology in the past. Back in 2017, Nintendo partnered with VR Zone Shinjuku to create Mario Kart GP VR, a location-based VR port of its 2005 arcade racing game, Mario Kart GP. Using custom trackers mounted to their wrists, players are able to physically throw red and blue shells at fellow racers while controlling their kart using a unique motion simulator.
This was followed by the release of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit in 2020, an at-home kart-racing game for the Nintendo Switch that utilizes RC cars and AR technology to deliver a one-of-a-kind mixed reality experience.
As previously mentioned, Chaos Karts will be available to the public beginning August 2021 near Brick Lane in East London. For more information visit here.
Feature Image Credit: Chaos Karts
