Aardman and Fictioneers’ new city-scale augmented reality experience transforms Bristol and Cardiff in the UK, and San Francisco in the US, into virtual stages; for a limited time, the app is free on iOS and Android devices in the UK.
Wallace & Gromit have arrived in Bristol and Cardiff in the UK, and San Francisco in the US, with the release of Aardman and Fictioneers for the first ever city-scale augmented reality (AR) experience with the release of Fix Up the City. The new app, which launches today, uses the power of AR and hyper-precise digital scanning to transform cities into virtual stages.
The game, which takes about an hour to complete, involves fun, engaging, large-scale AR experiences that play out before fans in a never-before-seen way. Interact with Wallace’s famous rocket, watch Gromit take off in his iconic plane - and even battle a colossal cleaning robot!
It's almost here! Keep an eye out for 'Wallace & Gromit: Fix Up The City', a new city-scale #AR experience set in the narrative universe of @thebigfixup. Coming to Bristol, Cardiff and San Francisco this August! #wallaceandgromit #app #experience pic.twitter.com/OGjVSM1Nl1
— Wallace & Gromit: Fix Up The City (@thebigfixup) July 23, 2021
The new augmented adventure has been created by multi award-winning animation studio, Aardman, and Fictioneers, with collaboration from partners including Potato (part of the AKQA Group), Sugar Creative and Tiny Rebel Games.
“Wallace and Gromit are no strangers to invention and new technology, and we are delighted that they are part of such a groundbreaking project,” commented Aardman creative director Merlin Crossingham. “For the first time you can actually be part of a Wallace & Gromit adventure, and experience them larger than life, out in the real world!”
Available on iOS and Android smartphones in the UK, the Fix Up the City app is free to download (for a limited time) and will become available to use upon successfully detecting a user's location in central Bristol (the home of Aardman studios) and Cardiff Bay in the UK; and Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, US.
“We are so excited to launch Fix Up the City this summer,” added Tiny Rebel Games (a co-founder of Fictioneers) creative director Lee Cummings. “It’s an experience that puts Bristol and Cardiff at the forefront of city scale augmented reality experiences. This project has enabled us to unleash our full ambition and capabilities harnessed during the development of The Big Fix Up...”
The activity, funded by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), follows Fictioneers’ successful launch of The Big Fix Up earlier this year, which was shortlisted for two Cannes Lions awards. Now available worldwide, the app demonstrates innovation in storytelling using the cutting-edge technology.
Working with Unity Technologies and the 3D mapping company, Fantasmo, Fictioneers’ team was able to scan key architecture in each city to embed hyper precise AR features and experiences, making for a more personalized, immersive, and encaptivating fan experience.
Fix Up the City is voiced by award-winning British actor Miriam Margolyes (as BERYL), Jim Carter OBE (as Bernard Grubb), YouTuber Joe Sugg (as Big LAD), and Ben Whitehead (as Wallace).
“This is such an exciting initiative - and I’m delighted to see an innovative and creative project also acting as an economic boost for the city,” added Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden. “Being alongside Bristol and San Francisco really does put Wales’ creative credentials on the map. We look forward to seeing people enjoying Wallace and Gromit adventures over the summer.”
Source: Aardman
