Blast Theory’s Can You See Me Now? Returns for UK Premiere at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts
Brighton, UK – The award-winning location-based game, Can You See Me Now?, created by Blast Theory, is making its highly anticipated return for its UK premiere at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts this week.
First released in 2001, Can You See Me Now? was ahead of its time, captivating audiences worldwide with its innovative use of technology and immersive gameplay. The game won the prestigious Prix Ars Electronica and toured 22 cities across four continents, from Tokyo to Tate Britain.
Now, over a decade later, Blast Theory is bringing back this gripping mixed reality game of chase to a new generation of players. With advancements in technology and the rise of the metaverse, the game has been redeveloped to offer an even more immersive experience.
Players who log into the mobile app will be dropped into a vivid 3D world where they must evade the ‘runners’ who are pounding the actual streets on the map. The twist? Online players can eavesdrop on the runners through live audio, hearing them getting lost, cold, and out of breath as they race through the city.
One online player commented, “I had a definite heart stopping moment when my concerns suddenly switched from desperately trying to escape, to desperately hoping that the runner chasing me had not been run over by a reversing truck (that’s what it sounded like had happened).”
Blast Theory artist Matt Adams explains, “Can You See Me Now? is a mobile game before mobile games were a genre. Back then, GPS were separate bits of kit that cost hundreds of pounds. We bought an ex-NATO radio mast so that we could set up our own WiFi. We climbed church spires, multi-storey car parks, and even the mast of a ship to get the coverage we needed.”
With the current talk of the metaverse and the increasingly connected world of social media, Blast Theory’s Can You See Me Now? is once again asking important questions about our relationship with technology and the online world. How are we connected or disconnected with friends and strangers? What does community look like online? These themes are explored through the game’s fast-paced and thrilling gameplay.
Jonathan Goode, Communications Manager for Blast Theory, can be contacted for further information and interview requests at +44 (0)7850 677 401 or jonny@blasttheory.co.uk.
Blast Theory is an internationally renowned group of artists known for their adventurous use of interactive media. They have showcased their work at prestigious institutions such as Tate Britain, Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney, and the Royal Opera House. The group has won multiple awards, including the Golden Nica for Interactive Art at Prix Ars Electronica and the Maverick Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards in the USA.
For more information about Blast Theory and Can You See Me Now?, please visit their website or download assets from their media pack.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.