In an initiative aimed at promoting healthy living, Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co (AAB) and Toyota launched an Hado Augmented Reality (AR) game at the Toyota showroom at Al-Abdulghani Tower in collaboration with Japanese startup Meleap.
AAB is the first Toyota distributor in the world to launch this technologically advanced AR game at its showroom.
Hado is an innovative AR physical e-sport that uses augmented reality technology and motion sensors without requiring the player to be bound to a gaming system, controllers or cables.
The digital experience is enabled by an AR device that players wear on their heads and a motion sensor the size of a smartphone worn on the wrist or forearm.
Players are able to move unrestricted in the real environment while interacting with the digital items they can see through the AR headset.
The launch event held at the Toyota showroom was attended by media representatives, the AAB senior management and staff as well as representatives from Hado Japan.
The opening game was between media representatives and AAB staff.
Speaking on the introduction of the Hado game, R K Murugan, acting CEO of AAB, said Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co “is happy to introduce the AR game in Qatar for our customers as it not only helps them spend more time in our showroom but also enables them to lead a healthy life”. Firas Mufti, senior marketing manager at AAB, welcomed the guests and said the Hado game not only promotes healthy living but also helps in team-building.
The game is played between two teams attacking each other through ‘energy balls’, and each team has to use its skills and teamwork to win the game.
Hado was born in Japan in 2014 to “turn every child’s dream into reality”. Meleap CEO Hiroshi Fukuda’s motivation to launch techno sports as a new business came from his own longing as a child to shoot laser beams from his hands.
The combination of leading-edge AR technology into conventional physical sports gave birth to Hado as the world’s first techno sport.
Meleap has already established 65 arenas in 26 countries where anyone can play Hado.
To date, more than 1.6mn people have experienced Hado worldwide in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan and China.
The introduction of Hado at the Toyota showroom “offers a huge potential and the perfect opportunity for Hado to reach an even broader range of communities”, a press statement notes.
“AAB-Toyota wants to get away from the usual buyer/seller customer relationship and rather wants to give back to loyal customers and their community by way of healthy living. As Toyota vehicles are well known for their advanced technology features, including those specifically for comfort and convenience, safety, entertainment and hybrid, AAB also wants to be the leaders in bringing technology to its showroom for its customers,” the statement adds.