Immersive experience for Alita: Battle Angel film launch
iam8bit / The Seelig Group
Alita: Passport to Iron City is a team-based immersive experience that physically transports visitors into the futuristic world of James Cameron, Robert Rodriguez and Jon Landau's highly anticipated film Alita: Battle Angel.
Drawing on the storyline and emotional atmosphere of the original manga comics and movie adaptation, Tellart created an architectural-scale interactive game environment in which people use diverse skills to unlock clues and tackle rousing challenges together. This experience presents fans and newcomers alike with a novel and visceral way of engaging with Alita's world in advance of the film's opening.
Adapting film to a first-person, social medium
Working closely with iam8bit and the production designers from the film, Troublemaker Studios, Tellart faithfully translated the film's retro-future aesthetic and emotional charge into a new type of experience.
Here, audience members become players who have direct agency, and a social role to play, in how the story unfolds. This needed to be considered in every aspect of the experience—from the design of team challenges and game dynamics to scenographic details and responsive digital interfaces.
You are being watched. And the clock is ticking...
Up to 60 players play at once, competing against the clock in a challenging post-apocalyptic environment full of cyborgs, bounty hunters, and oppressive surveillance systems. Game challenges come in many forms, from unlocking clues to solving puzzles, to betting and making music. It is as much a game of intelligence as it is about physical, creative and social skills.
Scoring credits
To deliver an engaging team-based experience it was important to give players both individual and group agency. As players complete winning actions they scored credits for their team. Tellart ensured that the underlying digital engine and player account system reflects these credits in real time, while allowing players to move seamlessly throughout the entire game space.
“Iron City is as exhilarating as it is diverse. Passport to Iron City will allow visitors to experience the world of Alita: Battle Angel on a first-hand interactive basis.”
Jon Landau, Film Producer Alita: Battle Angel
“Passport to Iron City is a first-of-its-kind experience.”
Max Evry for ComingSoon.net
“The set is totally interactive, full of retro-future tech elements while the clock is ticking.”
S. C. Stuart for PCMag
“Passport to Iron City is unlike just about anything else.”
Chris E. Hayner for GameSpot
Project Data
Highlights:
• Project executed in six months.
• Deployed in Los Angeles, Austin, New York City.
• 8-10 teams of 6 players compete at once.
• Entire experience, including Kansas Bar, takes up to 2 hours.
Project team:
Tellart worked closely with the following partners:
Creative Directors: iam8bit
Production Company: The Seelig Group
Game Design: Erich Meyr
Production Design Leads: Steve Joyner and Caylah Eddleblute (from Troublemaker Studios)
Ticketing: Ticketure
Photography: Tellart and iam8bit
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