Uplight: A game console that redefines gaming with innovative 3D design
The uplight Game consoledesigned by Japanese engineers Tatsuya Kato, Shion Ito, Toshikatsu Nakamura and Toshiki Sato, introduces a novel approach to gaming by incorporating three-dimensional objects into design and gameplay. The console’s main feature is a 3D acrylic screen that stands upright and lights up, creating a dynamic, visually immersive experience. The console includes a controller, a translucent three-dimensional object and a wide-angle projector that projects the game environment onto the object’s surface.
rendered image | All images courtesy of Tatsuya Kato, Shion Ito, Toshikatsu Nakamura, Toshiki Sato
Utilizing 3D capabilities for an immersive gaming experience
Uplight’s design is based on the concept of affordance, where the physical properties of objects naturally guide player interactions. This design philosophy led The team to develop a console that exploits the materiality of three-dimensional objects and allows players to engage with game content based on the shape and form of those objects. The screen is interchangeable, allowing for different gaming experiences – such as a cube where players must change perspective to fully understand the content displayed on its different faces.
Uplight introduces a new gaming experience by integrating 3D objects into its design | rendered image
This approach reverses the typical design process for game consoles, where the shape of the console is determined by the games it is designed to contain. Instead, Uplight’s physical design was defined first, and then game content was developed that complements and utilizes the objects’ specific shapes. The team aims to make the Uplight design open source, fostering an innovative and collaborative community where developers and players can explore new ways of interacting with three-dimensional objects while playing.
Uplight’s gameplay is enhanced by a wide-angle projector that projects images onto the 3D object | rendered image
The console features a 3D acrylic screen that stands upright and lights up | rendered image
Physical properties of objects control player interactions in Uplight’s design
