Ginza Sony Park, the Japanese tech giant’s Tokyo-based hub for Sony brand promotion, is now playing host to a new Ghostbusters-themed multiplayer experience using a newly revealed Sony AR headset prototype.

According to the demo video (linked below), the unnamed “R&D prototype” looks to include both 6DOF head-tracking as well as hand-tracking, and appear to be a standalone unit similar to Microsoft HoloLens.

A few pieces of equipment are also shown, including a curious wrist-mounted affair that may very well be a haptic device. In the video’s description, Sony says the AR experience uses the company’s latest visual, tactile, and auditory technologies, although it hasn’t qualified it with any further technical info.

And yes, they’re shooting proton energy from their hands.

Called Ghostbusters Rookie Training, the AR experience is exclusively coming to Ginza Sony Park in Tokyo, and is said to last about an hour. Although the experience was slated to begin on the 12th, commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Ghostbusters, the center was closed until today due to Typhoon Hagibis. The experience is set to end on December 8th.

Although entrance is free, if you’re looking to sign up, be warned that it’s going to be conducted entirely in Japanese, and requires group communication. Otherwise you can sign up here (Japanese).

As reported by Next RealitySony is also using its prototype in a few other experiences, including a museum featuring ’60s style fashion and music, and an outdoor park with interactive AR installations.

There’s no word on whether the company plans on productizing the AR headset, or creating a developer platform such as Magic Leap One. Whatever the case, we’ll be keeping an eye out for impressions to come from the experience to see just how serious the company is getting with its prototype.

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Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 3,500 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Xron

    Looks kinda dissapointing, though I guess its the level of todays AR devices.
    Atleast they don’t overhype it like Magic Leap.

  • Jan Ciger
    • Immersive Computing

      Thanks for the link, very interesting especially his history with processors.

    • Amazing link!

  • One of those experiences doesn’t look awful. (The Art Display)

    This does show though there is a limited number of real-world things you can do with AR. Tacking little ghostly bits onto the real-world just doesn’t hold a candle to completely enclosing the user in a fully virtual world.

    There is only one killer thing AR could do, and that’s tell you people’s names and bios by looking at them. And Google Glasses got shutdown HARD trying to implement that, due to privacy concerns.

    • kontis

      Or just give your smartphone a 40″ screen.

      I mean completely eliminating entire smartphone and laptop industries is not a big deal or a big use case…. Right? Not a “killer thing” at all…

    • southafricanguy

      I think the applications are potentially a lot. Not least of all museums, shopping, games with your friends (this could be the real seller of such a device as it has a social element, travel etc……I think you are strongly underestimating it