A Jedi does not seek adventure or excitement, but Star Wars fans can seek Jedi with the Find the Force augmented reality scavenger hunt promoting the launch of merchandise for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Between Sept. 1 and 3, participants are tasked with finding Find the Force logos in one of more than 20,000 retail locations worldwide and their web stores; participating retailers range from Bed, Bath and Beyond to Walmart.
Scanning a logo with the Star Wars app for iOS and Android reveals a holograph of a character from the film franchise. Fans can pose for photos and video with the animation and share their creations on social media (tagged with #FindtheForce). Each discovery the character grants users a "data coin" providing more information about that character.
Of course, the intent here is to get people in stores to buy toys upon launch, which Disney is again calling Force Friday. Participants can discover and collect tokens for 15 characters from the film on visits to various venues (presumably tracked by location based on app permissions), with five to be found per day.
"Force Friday II puts fans right at the center of the action using augmented reality to bring our characters to life like never before. The technology theme continues in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi product line, which is our most innovative yet — we can't wait for fans to see what's in store," says Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, in a statement.
Those who are strong in the Force can get started now by scanning the image embedded below.
Update: After the original publication of this post on Aug. 24, Next Reality learned a few new details. First, Vuforia's platform was used to build the AR experience.
In addition, some retailers are upping the ante for their Force Friday II festivities. Walmart will host Be Jedi Ready events at stores in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Northwest Arkansas, Orlando, San Antonio, San Jose, and Seattle. Customers at these locations will be treated to games, giveaways, and other activities.
Not to be outdone, select Target locations will open at 12:01 am on Sept. 1 to give fans a jump on their shopping sprees as well as some free stuff. Meanwhile, Best Buy, who will feature 9 of 15 AR characters over the weekend, will host product demonstrations.
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