Nex, a leader in motion entertainment, today announced they will be offering an exclusive first look at Nex Playground, a new entertainment device that delivers immersive games and experiences powered by body motion, at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) on March 22-24 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. GDC attendees will also get to experience a broad portfolio of motion games and experiences at Nex’s booth.
“Finding entertainment choices that are active, positive, and healthy can be a challenge for anyone, and families in particular. Nex Playground encourages new forms of physical play, and also brings people together,” said David Lee, co-founder and CEO of Nex. “At GDC, we want to show creators how full-body motion interaction is something any game developer can leverage to open up a new world of immersive motion-based experiences.”
Nex Playground delivers the most natural and intuitive way to play with no extra wearables. Simply connect Nex Playground to a big screen TV and you’ll instantly transform your living room into an active play space. Nex Playground sees your body movements and provides endless hours of fun for the whole family. It’s like an arcade, theme park, sports park, playground, and gym, all rolled into one. Nex Playground supports any number of players and can even connect friends for remote play. The Nex Playground remote is equipped with haptic feedback, allowing motion games to become even more immersive and magical.
In addition to previewing the new device, Nex is inviting all game developers and designers who want to build immersive, motion-powered gameplay experiences to join their presentation on “Motion Tracking Meets AI, Creating a New Category of Games” at the GDC Partner Stage on March 22 at 11:30 a.m. Lee will introduce new and powerful motion capture tools for development in Unity, and explain how to publish motion-based games on a variety of consumer devices and platforms, including Nex Playground.
To help the motion entertainment ecosystem accelerate, Nex has created a package of content development tools that allow game and content developers to create their own motion experiences. This includes the Nex Motion Developer Kit (MDK), an AI-powered toolkit for building motion interactive content and games right within Unity. Nex has been working closely with a few game developers already to put the MDK to the test.
“Here's the wonderful thing about motion games: the player's body is way richer and more intricate than any controller could ever be,” said Mattia Traverso, the BAFTA finalist Game Designer who will be joining Lee on stage for the presentation. “Players can be very creative in the way they interact with our games through their body poses and movements. Now we can build games that respond to these organic inputs and create new kinds of experiences that would not be possible before. And what’s cool about Nex’s Motion Developer Kit is that it’s really easy to create these kinds of games now.”
As pioneers in motion entertainment, Nex is paving the way to a powerful new interactive paradigm that taps into the pure joy of physical activity. Within its motion entertainment ecosystem, endless possibilities await in a range of experiences spanning different realms of interest, from dance to sports to education to interactive adventures. Compared to traditional video games and fitness apps, Nex’s motion-based experiences blend movement and interactive content to deliver entertainment that is as intuitive as using your hands and feet. The experiences require no headset, keyboard, or game controller to enjoy, instead leveraging natural body movement to interact with the myriad of activities.
Nex’s motion experiences are available on billions of camera-enabled consumer devices such as iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Starting this summer, some of Nex’s games like Starri, a heart-pounding motion-based rhythm game, will also become available on Steam. Additionally, Nex is currently collaborating closely with operators, TV manufacturers, brands and IP holders to bring motion entertainment to life.
Nex Playground is slated to launch alongside a subscription catalog of more than 30 games and experiences, with the first batch of units targeting holiday 2023. In June, the company plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign for Nex Playground, which will offer priority access to early inventory and other perks. For an opportunity to be an early backer, sign up HERE. Developer kit units will be available this summer.
Nex collaborated with level Design, a woman-led industrial design shop based in San Francisco, to create the design of Nex Playground, and SKYWORTH Group Limited, a leading supplier of advanced, high-quality TV and entertainment solutions, to produce the physical models being shown at GDC.
About Nex
Nex is helping humanity reconnect with the joy of movement through fun, social, and interactive motion entertainment that’s accessible on any modern camera-equipped device. Using cutting-edge AI, mobile, and vision technologies, Nex merges the digital and physical worlds, so players are immersed in the experience using their natural body movement. Nex has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, Time’s Best Inventions, and has been awarded the prestigious Apple Design Award. Nex apps are used in more than 200 countries around the world and include HomeCourt, Active Arcade, Party Fowl, Starri, Miniacs Steering Madness and Peppa Pig: Jump and Giggle.