Gbanga

Lore & Background

In 2014, a sequel titled Famiglia Rise and Fall was announced on Indiegogo, aiming to use the Unity 3D engine and OpenStreetMap data, but was discontinued. The platform also produced commissioned mixed-reality games, such as Gross. Stadt. Jagd. (Urban. Hunt.) in May 2015 in Zurich, where thousands of participants used a GPS app to avoid a hunter car. The platform's technology evolved from J2ME and iPhone versions to later use the Unity engine, and it offered a Puppetmaster API coded in Lua for community-generated content.

Reader's Guide

Gbanga's significance lies in its early adoption of real-time locative media for mobile gaming, predating the widespread popularity of location-based games like Pokémon GO. By integrating real-world locations with virtual gameplay, it demonstrated how mobile technology could transform urban spaces into interactive game boards. The platform's games, such as Gbanga Zooh and Gbanga Famiglia, encouraged physical exploration and social interaction, while its commissioned game Gross. Stadt. Jagd. showcased large-scale mixed-reality events. Gbanga's legacy includes its influence on location-based gaming and its recognition in industry awards, including a nomination for Business Idea 2010 and a win at the AppCircus Spotlight on Blackberry in 2011. The platform's later success with Voltron: Cubes of Olkarion in a global developer competition further highlighted its adaptability to licensed IP and modern game engines.

Did You Know?

• Gbanga's first game, Gbanga Zooh, was launched in August 2009 in cooperation with Zurich Zoo.
• The platform's J2ME version used a real-time locating system referencing a network of cell sites, while the iPhone version used GPS.
• Gbanga's Puppetmaster API allowed the playing community to generate interactive content using the Lua programming language.