“Filthy Fingers” – Multiplayer AR Game

Objective

Demodern, a creative technologies agency, developed a proof-of-concept AR multiplayer game designed for playable brand activations in events, offices, and parks. The objective was to create a quickly accessible, robustly synchronized experience that could reliably support concurrent players in shared physical spaces while delivering measurable engagement and enjoyment.

Solution

Filthy Fingers is a mobile AR game for up to eight players built with Unity and Niantic Lightship ARDK. Players compete in short rounds to collect and steal virtual fruits that bounce, roll, and disappear realistically behind furniture using spatial mapping and object occlusion. The game employs peer-to-peer mesh synchronization and physics-based interaction to maintain real-time coordination between players' devices without requiring a server backend, enabling local play at events, offices, or parks. The experience prioritizes simple, clear visual feedback over complex technology to keep interactions immersive and intuitive.

Results

Players reported spontaneous competition and high replay rates. The game supported up to eight concurrent players in field deployments. Specific quantified metrics (player count, engagement duration, reach) were not published. The project won recognition at The FWA, earning 81 points and FWA of the Day designation on October 19, 2022.