Balti Virtual teamed with the Washington Capitals to bring AR to hockey fans

Balti Virtual is bringing augmented reality to Washington Capitals fans with a new mobile game that arrived in time for Thursday’s start to the team’s playoff run on home ice.

Called “Tilt The Ice,” the game involves a bar coaster and a smartphone.

Using BV’s AppAR8 app, a user who encounters the game can scan a coaster. This brings up a 3D rendering of a goalie. Players are aiming to save as many goals as they can.  After five pucks slip by, it’s game over.

“The coaster is the controller,” Balti Virtual CEO Will Gee told us at last night’s BmoreVR meetup at the entrance to the company’s office in City Garage.

The goalie is controlled by tilting the coaster. This was a feature that Balti Virtual previously built as part of a game for last year’s Beta City event. The idea then arose at a meeting with the Capitals team.

“We proved that concept out, and so when they were looking for something, we knew that could be a mechanic that could work,” Gee said. “It came out really well.”

Initially, the coasters were distributed at 15 bars around D.C.’s Capital One Arena. Balti Virtual also built out a leaderboard where folks can check out top scores, and show off their goalkeeping prowess on social.

“At [Capitals parent company] Monumental Sports & Entertainment we are always looking for new and emerging technologies that will enhance our fan’s experience and connection with our brand and believe this game, the first of its kind in the NHL, is a perfect step into the always advancing AR field,” Capitals Senior Director of Digital Media James Heuser said in a statement.

With many Baltimore hockey fans rooting for the Capitals, the game brings a local connection as the nearest NHL team begins the quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

“It came together really quickly. They were a lot of fun to work with,” Gee said.