Outdoor virtual arcade installed in Melbourne’s CBD

Southbank’s Queensbridge Square has been transformed into an outdoor virtual arcade - The Open Arcade - which uses digital sensing technology, allowing players to use their bodies to control the game in real time on the big screen.

City of Melbourne partnered with SAGE Group and Swinburne University to develop the digital games, as part of the Reimagining the City Challenge.

SAGE Automation Smart Cities Technical Lead Ashby Martin notes “we’ve thought deeply about the ways we can make the Open Arcade as fun, engaging and accessible as possible – we kept asking ourselves what our families would enjoy playing and pushed the limits of what we could do with the technology.”

The free pilot pop-up is part of a Council initiative to bring fun and inclusive experiences to the CBD and features four digital games which can be enjoyed by up to 12 players at a time, and is suitable for all ages and abilities.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp advises “we’re taking gaming outdoors this summer with our Open Arcade – a unique new experience, allowing people to step into a virtual world on the streets of our CBD.

“During a soft launch in December, players enjoyed more than 100 games a day, and we expect thousands more will check it out over the next six weeks.

“The pop-up attraction is free, family-friendly and safe to enjoy in the open-air, making it the perfect addition to a fun-filled day out in the city.”

Swinburne University Centre for Design Innovation Director Professor Jeni Paay adds “Our final year Bachelor of Design students were given the opportunity to collaborate with the developers of the Open Arcade pilot to explore design alternatives and aspects of open-air gaming to inspire and inform the development of the final game.

“This gave the students industry experience, on a real-world project, where they get to see the results in the city.”

For more on Reimagining the City Challenge 

The Open Arcade is open seven days a week from 7am to 8pm, until 3rd March.

Image courtesy SAGE Group Facebook