Microsoft seems to be jumping on to the recent toy-to-life trend with a new patent filed for a wearable smart bracelet. The patent was filed in April 2015 but published on September 17. The document states the device is made up of “interactive smart beads” attached to a “connecting element”.
“The connecting element also autonomously generates interactions between two or more detected beads and transmits data about the interactions to a software experience so that a user can view a graphical representation of the interactions. In various examples each bead represents a character, environment, object, etc. and the software experience displays an animated story based on the characters, environments, objects, etc. represented by the beads involved in an interaction.”
The patent also suggests that technology similar to those seen in Skylanders or Disney Infinity have also been developed. Gameplay is enabled through the use of physical character toys which are placed on a custom base connected to a games console. “By placing different toys on the custom base, different gameplay is enabled.”
Keep in mind that even though a patent was filed, it doesn’t mean it’ll release commercially or at all. It would make sense for Microsoft to release something like this due to the success of Nintendo’s Amibos and Disney Infinity toys.
My only question is what characters would they use as toys, Microsoft doesn’t have many kid friendly characters. They could open the door to third-party characters or use the kid friendly characters Rare has created over the years. This could also be something that works well with HoloLens, Microsoft’s augmented reality technology You have the toy in real life and you put on the portal and it appears in front of you almost as a living breathing character that you can interact with.
Hopefully we will hear more about this at either the October event Microsoft has planned or at E3 2016.
Source: GameSpot
Cade is a games journalist, Gaming Writer at ComicBook.com. They contributed 108 articles to ICXM between 2015–2017, focused on opinion pieces, game reviews, and Xbox news: served as Editor-in-Chief at GameZone before joining ComicBook.com.