The ARCore experience is coming to Pixel 2.
With new updates to Google’s Daydream View headset, the unveiling of Pixel 2, and a preview of AR Stickers that included packs for Stranger Things and Star Wars, Google also teased a slew of new apps and experiences built with ARCore by their partners.
One of those apps that immediately caught our eye was a real-time action AR demo for League of Legends. That’s right, the massively popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game created by Riot Games is getting an AR treatment.
Built with ARCore, the AR software development kit (SDK) for Android, the preview of League of Legends in AR shows off the potential of what’s possible on your mobile device. Developed by Grab Games in collaboration with Riot Games, the teaser shows a user watching a League of Legends match while an AR map appears on a table with champions positioned on top. You are basically able to relive a LoL match like never before by track your favorite champions and simultaneously watching the video replay of a match.
The League of Legends AR experience is all part of a larger platform for gameplay and sports that fans and friends can engage, allowing any game in the future to drop in assets to be viewed as replays according to Anthony Borquez, CEO and founder of Grab Games.
In this latest Google teaser, a League of Legends match is shared with a friend, allowing him or her to actually see a replay in AR on their device. A giant 2D screen can be moved around within the room, wherever you choose, letting you watch the replay. In addition, a Summoner’s Rift battleground map is placed on a tabletop, giving you a 3D top down view of matchplay.
A sneak peek of what’s to come, we can expect quite a few League of Legends fans to sit up in their chair when they see this, only imagining what’s possible beyond this demo. Although right now it only shows locations of champions on an augmented map, we can hope to see additional interaction like zooming in on highlights and actually watching battles play out on our hardwood floors.
An entirely new perspective in experiencing League of Legends thanks to AR, this is just one of many experiences teased at a Google event Tuesday highlighting the company’s increased focused on AR content. Google also gave a preview of a Houzz app that lets you bring the showroom into your living room and see how different furniture, accent pieces and more fit into your space. There is even a LEGO AR app, where you can have fun building virtual models with characters that come to life.
Grab Games is no stranger to VR and AR content development, responsible for the development of popular VR titles like Knockout League and John Wick Chronicles. The tech company has also worked on League of Legends content prior, helping with the development of League Chat, a social e-sports application for the League of Legends community, as well as a 360° experience from the 2015 World Championship in partnership with Riot Games. We can’t wait to see more!
Image Credit: Google/Grab Games
