Google, 72andSunny and UNIT9 Have Teamed Up to Turn Your Phone into a Lightsaber

Google Chrome, 72andSunny LA and UNIT9 have created "Lightsaber Escape", the ultimate second screen interactive fan experience to celebrate the launch of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

The desktop-to-mobile game converts your mobile device into a lightsaber and invites you to battle and deflect enemy fire from First Order Stormtroopers as you fight to make your way toward a hangar bar where an escape shuttle awaits to take you off into the galaxy. An embedded tutorial helps you master your lightsaber skills in preparation for the final duel with a lone menacing Stromtrooper determined to keep you from fleeing the Star Destroyer. Users' escape times are clocked and recorded to be shared across social media.

Access 'Lightsaber Escape' here: https://lightsaber.withgoogle.com/

To make sure each scene stayed true to the Star Wars universe, UNIT9 worked closely with Lucasfilm to storyboard each scene before bringing them to life using 3D renderings. The second screen interaction also needed to be flawless, ensuring the lightsaber could move in real-time using WebRTC and WebSockets, sync'd with the 3D graphics. Using WebGL and HTML5, UNIT9 enabled the desktop to function as the primary visual display while the user's mobile device operates as the primary control interface.

Sound also plays heavily into the experience, with music provided by Lucasfilm and effects made possible by Plan8, who mixed the soundtrack to match each gameplay moment and movement of one's mobile device.