Games+Learning+Society 12 Conference

Prior work on location-based augmented reality (AR) games demonstrates that even in single-player games, in which non-networked mobile devices run independent instances of a particular game, players can have meaningful interactions and discussion around gameplay. However, technical constraints of single-player modes limit AR players’ peer interactions, which primarily occur in the real world. A shared true multiplayer experience would enable players to participate in more robust, collaborative experiences by connecting players to a shared game world. Connected players could collectively utilize limited game assets, communicate over distances, and impact other players’ digital game state. To explore these affordances, [PLATFORM] recently added multiplayer functionality to its existing single-player offering. This paper describes the initial release version of multiplayer features, outlines the rationale for these design decisions, and proposes additional research questions for future research.