Since the beginning of Season 95 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, students of 10 member schools have been introduced to a lightweight, head-mounted display known as an augmented reality (AR) interface.
It comes with an arm-worn device that allows players to throw energy ball and shields that can be seen through a wall-mounted or platform-mounted digital interface.
Unlike esports, players can play dodgeball and make movements while their images are being filmed digitally and viewed live on the screen, with the audience watching the action that's filled with special effects of energy ball and shield, and overlay of statistics.
“The introduction of AR sports is now happening in the NCAA, and since the start of the school year,” said Cookie Bartolome, head of ABS-CBN Themed Experiences Inc.
Bartolome talked about the introduction of this unique VR game in the Philippines during a launch yesterday at the ABS CBN offices in Quezon City.
Known as a technosport, the game of HADO is being introduced locally by a Japanese gaming company led by Hiroshi Fukuda and Yukiharu Tomita of Meleap.
In the next two weeks, games will be played in the campuses, followed by intercollegiate tournaments that will also be introduced and dubbed as Hado Pilipinas NCAA Collegiate Cup 2019.
The winning team will win an all-expense paid trip to Tokyo.
And they will represent the Philippines in the Hado World Cup this December for a chance to win Y2 million.
Bartolome said ABS CBN is taking the lead in launching Hado Pilipinas, which is an innovation in Philippine sports.
Compared to esport, players are more mobile and projects actions and activities with their hands, feet and head.