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 Reality, Sony 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.
