New York City’s iconic Times Square will host a virtual safari experience with the launch of One Times Square’s Concrete Jungle Augmented Reality (AR) TimesSquare, a large-scale app-based experience that will digitally transform the public space into a playground.
Opening Aug. 1, animals will roam and play in their natural habitats against the backdrop of the billboards and buildings that make up the iconic facade of Times Square.
“We continue to welcome over 400,000 New Yorkers and tourists every day to Times Square, which reaches pre-pandemic levels, and are thrilled to welcome the Concrete Jungle as the newest virtual experience that combines the latest in technology and innovation to the Crossroads of the World,” said Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance, in a statement July 29. “One Times Square is a historic property as the site of the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, and we look forward to welcoming the virtual safari experience that will be one of many new and exciting opportunities to experience the best of Times Square.”
Produced by Jamestown, the owner and developers of One Times Square, the Concrete Jungle experience will bring five distinct viewing experiences including virtual games, viewing zones and photo opportunities.
“Augmented reality is the future of entertainment, retail, advertising, and the built environment more broadly,” Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown on July 29. “Concrete Jungle will scale and normalize augmented reality experiences as a tool to enhance engagement with the public. These technologies can be leveraged beyond entertainment to improve wayfinding, public safety, and health and wellness. Jamestown is at the forefront of creating that bridge by investing in technology to create experiences that will transition the physical to digital life in the future.”
The five viewing zones in the Concrete Jungle app include distinct animals in their own unique environments, virtual games with quests, a 3D puzzle and the ability to capture in-app photos with a virtual animal companion.
The Concrete Jungle AR TimesSquare app is available for download in app stores beginning on August 1, 2022, and continuing through the month of August. For more information, visit ConcreteJungleAR.com and follow along at @onetimessquarenyc.
