Google and the NBA have launched the Pixel Arena, a virtual space linked to the NBA Playoffs in 2022, inside the NBA mobile app.
Google and the NBA Pixel Area aim to provide fans with a virtual experience based on real-time information from the games. App users can access the Pixel Arena through the NBA app by selecting a specific game. Here you can use your phone’s gyroscope to navigate through the virtual 3D space. Pixel Arena also allows you to create and customize avatars – including equipping them in a particular team’s outfit – and then sharing them online. It provides 3D footage of the game in the virtual space, based on live NBA data feeds, available during the break and after the match.
During the break, Pixel Arena also offers trivia based on the specific game. Users can climb the leaderboard and unlock levels and items for their avatars by using the arena during games.
Image credit: Google
“The experience brings a whole new meaning to the courts,” said Daryl Butler, vice president of US Devices and Services Marketing at Google, in a blog post.
You do not need a Google Pixel to access the arena – you just need the NBA app, which is available on a variety of devices.
This is the first time Google is teaming up with the NBA for an immersive experience like this, Google says. The company is currently collaborating with the sports organization in a number of initiatives, including sponsoring the NBA Playoffs, which are now “presented by Google Pixel,” and the NBA Finals, which are “presented by YouTube TV.” Last year, Google also announced that Google Pixel was the official fan phone in the NBA, NBA G League and NBA 2K League, while Google was each league’s official search engine and search trends and fan insight partner.
The agreement between the companies is a multi-year commitment that also included the development of immersive experiences, like this one new with the NBA app and others, designed to showcase 3D and AR technology.