New augmented reality game encourages theft

Using AR mechanics not unlike Pokemon GO!, Snatch is the latest iOS and Android game that encourages users to go on a real-life treasure hunt seeking digital collectables. The main difference here is that once parcels have been collected, users have to keep them safe for six hours from other players out to “snatch” the parcels.

The app started with over 250,000 parcels plotted around the UK that players can find, parcels that can contain everything from cash, holidays, pizzas to, well, pretty much anything. London has been the main hotspot for players, with Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow gradually following suit.

The app was developed by Joe Martin, a former forensic scientist who explained his reasoning for designing the game: “Why build a fantastical world to escape and play in, when the world we live in can provide an incredible landscape, rich with obstacles and other players ready to snatch your parcels?”

Once users have picked up a parcel (either from the landscape or stolen from another player) they can keep the parcel safe by hiding it in safe houses, or implementing features such as invisibility cloaks so other potential snatchers can’t see them. As soon as the six hours are up the prize can then be redeemed.

The startup has already received a substantial investment from Unilever Ventures who are confident in the potential of AR and gamification in the advertising space and plan to expand internationally.

We’re seeing more and more innovations in the world or AR, such as GlassUp’s smart glasses and apps such as SMARTIFY that greatly enhance museum tours. With AR advancing so quickly, what next can we expect from this rapidly evolving technology?