Tilt Five brings board games to life with its new augmented reality kit

It was only a matter of time before technology figured out a way to juice up your average game of Settlers of Catan (no, we don’t mean finding ways to physically throttle your opponents).

Tilt Five just teased a new look at its new augmented reality headset, which projects 3D visuals onto a flat surface like holograms. The company was founded by inventor and gaming legend Jeri Ellsworth, who has been focused on virtual and augmented reality projects since 2012.

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The 3D glasses and wand controller system means that your board games can spring to life on the table with animated, dynamic content. The glasses feature an inbuilt mic and stereo speakers, offering an interesting range of narrative options for game developers. Tilt Five also posted a delicious Twitter update that suggests its system is responsive to hand gestures.

More glasses, less goggles! No need for Velcro straps and head clamps here. pic.twitter.com/M4NU13Wqau

— Tilt Five (@tiltfive) May 3, 2019

Of course, with all new hardware comes the problem of creating new content for gung-ho early adopters. Tilt Five’s website has an open call for third-party developers to get in touch about potential game collaborations and content.

Tilt Five isn’t alone in this brave new world — Spatial Mixed Reality is working on a headset-free system with stand-up panels that look a bit like Battleship.

Like the resurgence of vinyl records, tabletop gaming has been experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately. With increasing interest in augmented reality or “mixed reality” projects right now, perhaps we’re finally approaching the kind of sci-fi future in which we can play dejarik.

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No word on whether Tilt Five’s flagship baby will be sold in Singapore, but given the enthusiasm of the local tabletop community, this could be a fantastic new addition to social gaming experiences.

At the moment, it seems like the launch version will only support Windows and Android devices, but here’s hoping for more details.

alexisong@asiaone.com