I’ll be perfectly honest with everyone here – it has been a long time since I stepped into an arcade, and even longer since I stepped into an arcade that didn’t specialize in vintage machines. In recent history, any arcade that I’ve seen has basically been a collection of rhythm games (a genre which I fail miserably at) and one or two always-occupied air hockey tables. With consoles what they are today, I rather thought arcades were a dying breed. But if there’s one thing that could get me into a current arcade, it would have to be a controller-less machine which relies on 3D cameras coupled with gesture-recognition software that turns my entire body into the interface. Titan 4 Games wants to ‘[evolutionize] the out-of-home coin operated industry,’ and they think that said machines are the way. To this end, they have licensed Silhouette from 3D gesture-recognition developer Softkinetic for the coin-op market. The title is a rhythm game, where players must match their positions to those of person-shaped holes in a series of progressing shapes. Being a rhythm game, I will certainly fail miserably at it. But I’d still love to try, I imagine the initial play would be a magic moment akin to the first time I held a DS or played chess with a Microsoft Surface.
BRUSSELS, Belgium – February 25, 2010
Softkinetic Studios SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Softkinetic SA, today announced that Titan 4 Games has licensed the rights to Silhouette™, a controller-free rhythm video game, for the coin-operated market.
Titan 4 Games designs, manufactures and markets gaming terminals for the coin-operated amusement market. With the goal of evolutionizing the out-of-home coin operated industry, Titan selected Softkinetic’s iisu™ 3D gesture recognition software platform to develop a line of next generation, gesture-based video game systems. Silhouette will be the first of many 3D camera games from Titan, and is a natural step in the company’s strategy.
“Silhouette is the first title created by the talented and experienced team at Softkinetic Studios. Our team focuses exclusively on 3D camera technology, and Silhouette takes full advantage of the new technology,” said Cyrille Wagner, Softkinetic Studios’ technical director. “Thanks to the physical gameplay, the controller-free 3D camera technology, and Titan 4 Games’ expertise in developing for this market, the game is immediately fun, accessible and ideally suited for the coin-operated space.”
“Titan 4 Games has always been at the forefront of innovation in the development of engaging coin-operated solutions,” said Milind Bharvirkar, president and chief executive officer, Titan 4 Games. “Softkinetic Studio’s game Silhouette provides a unique, controller-free experience in real time and in full 3D. With our extensive experience at creating and marketing coin-operated games worldwide, Titan 4 Games will ensure that our customers looking for a new experience can play an extraordinary game that they cannot yet access in their living rooms.”
Silhouette challenges players with a series of rapidly approaching shapes, each containing a different person-shaped opening. In order to successfully pass through each musically driven challenge, players must pose and contort their bodies to guide their in-game avatars through the shapes. The game will be released into coin-operated amusement facilities in Europe and North America in the near future.
In parallel, Softkinetic Studios is in discussion with video game publishers in order to position Silhouette for the home market (PC, video game consoles and next generation set-top boxes).
About Softkinetic SA
Softkinetic is the leading provider of natural interfaces that transform the way people interact with the digital world. Softkinetic enables a fully immersive, transparent and intuitive user experience by providing a 3D real-time gesture recognition middleware to interactive digital entertainment, consumer electronics, health care and serious games companies. Softkinetic, iisu, and Interface Is You are trademarks or registered trademarks of Softkinetic S.A. For more information on Softkinetic please visit http://www.softkinetic.netAbout Softkinetic Studios
Softkinetic Studios is the world’s first application and video game development studio focusing exclusively on gesture-based content and applications. Softkinetic Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Softkinetic.About Titan 4 Games, LLC
Titan 4 Games, LLC is a worldwide leader in the creation of interactive entertainment. Titan designs, manufactures and sells innovative, cutting-edge, high-profile interactive coin operated games for the worldwide coin-operated market. To date, the team from Titan has developed 19 products that have been voted #1 and has been recognized with the “Best Product of the Year” award from the American Amusement Operator Association. For more information, visit www.Titan4Games.com
