Earlier this year VRFocus reported on augmented reality (AR) startup company Proxy42 announcing a successful investment round lead by Lenovo Capital and Chinese game publisher iDreamSky, securing the firm $2 million USD. This was after completing an IndieGoGo campaign for its AR laser tag experience Father.IO and a peripheral called Inceptor. Now Proxy42 has announced the apps release and pre-orders for the device.
Father.IO is a free app for Android and iOS devices that when paired with the Inceptor becomes massively multiplayer first-person AR shooter – without the Inceptor the multiplayer cannot be accessed. With the Inceptor attached to their smartphone players can choose from four distinct classes, each with their own weapons, abilities, and upgrades, in two modes 16 vs 16 team deathmatches or a 32 player free for all.
There are four different weapons available: Assault rifle, Sniper rifle, SMG and handgun, each with a different shooting distance, accuracy, rate of fire and damage potential. While the player abilities are Ammo crate, Medikit, EMP and Claymore.
Players can take advantage of a satellite minimap to coordinate attacks and set up ambushes on unsuspecting enemies, while defeated players can “respawn” to re-enter the game and strike back.
The Inceptor device uses Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone whilst communicating with other units using a proprietary infrared projection and sensing technology to enable accuracy up to 150 feet away (50m).
“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 in a statement. “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.”
The Father.IO app is freely available to download now but you will need to buy Inceptor to get the most out of the experience. Inceptor can be purchased from retailers Brookstone and Amazon for $39.99 USD/£39.99 GBP.
For any further updates from Proxy42, keep reading VRFocus.