Shoot, Dodge and Run for Cover in Real-Life AR Laser Tag for your Smartphone, Gadget Shipping Soon.
Just in time for holiday shopping season, and after fulfilling 15k units to Indiegogo backers interactive augmented reality startup Proxy42 today announced the launch of Father.IO and complementary Inceptor device. Father.IOcombines familiar mechanics found in first-person shooters and fuses them with tactical AR gameplay that, when paired with an Inceptor, creates an unparalleled Augmented Reality experience. The Father.IO AR FPS is now available as a free download on Google Play and the App Store and the Inceptor is available for pre-order online from specialty retailer Brookstone and Amazon for $39.99, with shipments rolling out within a month.
Father.IO is a massively multiplayer first-person AR shooter where the real world is your arena. Combining augmented reality and FPS battles, Father.IO converts squares, public parks, and outdoor spaces into massive battlefields – no holds barred. Players can choose from four distinct classes, each with their own weapons, abilities, and upgrades, to defeat opponents. Teamwork is imperative to achieve victory as players can take advantage of a satellite minimap to coordinate attacks and set up ambushes on unsuspecting enemies. Be sure to stay on your toes, defeated players can “respawn” to re-enter the game and strike back with avengence. Utilizing the latest AR technology — including Apple ARKit and Core ML — Father.IO provides an unmatched photorealistic AR experience with minimal latency.
The laser tag-like experience is made possible with the Inceptor, a keychain-size device that attaches to and augments an iOS or Android smartphone via Bluetooth. Featuring proprietary infrared projection and sensing technology, the Inceptor communicates with other units to enable accuracy up to 150 feet away. It is the first AR device that allows for multiplayer player-versus-player gameplay. With the Inceptor, player in-game actions are no longer confined to a screen — gameplay happens in real life, with real people, and hitting real enemies.
Father.IO Key Features:
- Experience thrilling battles in first person and hit your enemies up to 50m/150ft distance.
- Locate your teammates and spot your enemies via an advanced real-time GPS location system and satellite map.
- Pick the mode you like: 16 vs 16 team deathmatches or 32 player free for all!
- 4 Classes with unique GPS based abilities: Ammo crate, Medikit, EMP and Claymore!
- CQC or Sniper style? Choose between 4 different weapons (Assault rifle, Sniper rifle, SMG and handgun) each with different shooting distance and accuracy, rate of fire and damage potential: pick your favourite FPS gaming style!
- Dominate your enemies with headshots up to 15m distance!
Inceptor Key Features:
- Bluetooth 4 connection: Provides instant feedback to the player with no lag and has the highest energy efficiency rating for Inceptor’s stand-alone battery.
- Tiny, but incredibly powerful: A pocket-size device able to hit enemies at 50m/150ft distance.
- Universal mounting: Compatible with any smartphone up to 8cm (3.15in) wide.
- Integrated LED lights: Identify your teammates, call out your enemies, and keep control over the match at a simple glance.
Proxy42 first introduced Father.IO in 2016 on Indiegogo where it raised more than $458,000 (900 percent of its original goal!) and sold more than 15,000 Inceptor units to more than 7,000 backers. After the campaign, Proxy42 raised $2 million from Lenovo Capital and leading Chinese game publisher iDreamSky in a strategic investment round. They have also partnered with product developer and specialty retailer Brookstone to manufacture the Inceptor and serve as the exclusive North American retailer and distributor. On November 16, 2017, Proxy42 began fulfilling backer shipments of the Inceptor device.
“We knew we had something special when we write the first lines of code for Father.IO. Our thoughts were confirmed when our Indiegogo campaign went viral and soared past its original goal. The entertainment world has been looking for something revolutionary since the original Doom revealed the possibilities of 3D gaming, and we believe that Proxy42 can use AR technology to show new ways you can play games,” said Francesco Ferrazzino, CEO and Founder of Proxy42 and inventor of Father.IO. “We’re excited to finally share Father.IO with the world. This whole journey feels like a dream and while we are proud of what Proxy42 has been able to accomplish so far, this is only the beginning. We will continue to innovate new ways to use AR and usher in a new era of gaming. Fair warning, once you play Father.IO, you’ll never want to go back to your console.”
