Sony Launches “FavoriteSpace™,” a New Service to Revitalize Sports Fan Communities
As part of its new services, Sony today released the smartphone app “FavoriteSpace.”*1 As the first app, it provides a dedicated virtual space (area) where users can enjoy Manchester City Football Club content in a variety of ways.
Through “FavoriteSpace,” Sony aims to provide a place where fans who share the same interests can interact with each other and connect with teams and players, thereby enriching the activities of sports fans both in the real world and virtually, thereby increasing engagement among existing fans and creating new experiential value that will also attract new fans.
In this app, you can take your avatar to a virtual “area” themed on the history and philosophy of your favorite sports team and enjoy team-specific content and interactions with other fans. By watching highly immersive 3DCG content that utilizes technologies such as tracking systems from Hawkeye Innovations, a Sony Group company, you can experience the same enthusiasm and excitement as in the real world in a uniquely virtual way. In developing the first team area, the Manchester City area, Sony has been the official virtual fan engagement partner of Manchester City since 2021, incorporating proof of concept (PoC) and feedback from fans. In the future, we will provide areas and content for various teams and other sports to expand the experience.
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The FavoriteSpace app is currently available in a trial version with limited free features as a preview of the official version with paid features, scheduled for release in October. The app is currently available in three countries: Japan, the US, and the UK.
The main experience for the Manchester City area of the FavoriteSpace app (“Man City Virtual Etihad Stadium”)
1. A new way to enjoy sports that transcends time and space
Manchester City’s home stadium, the Etihad Stadium, has been faithfully recreated in virtual space, and fans can visit it any time using their avatar. In the virtual stadium, fans can enjoy immersive content that only a virtual space can provide, such as “Immersive Highlights,” which allows fans to watch highlights of past home games in 3DCG from any angle they like.
2. Strengthening the bonds between fans, players and teams
Fans gather in virtual space as avatars and communicate through interactions such as emoticons, stamps, and arm-wringing, allowing them to share their feelings and passion for their team beyond nationality and language. Fans can also express their support for their team in a variety of ways, such as participating in events held in virtual space on actual game days, customizing their avatars with uniforms and goods, and creating fan banners. By responding to the support of their fans in this way, teams and players can also interact with the fan community, building even more unity between fans and teams.
About Sony Group Corporation
Sony Group Corporation is a technology-based creative entertainment company. Through six business segments – Games & Network Services, Music, Pictures, Entertainment, Technology & Services, Imaging & Sensing Solutions, and Financial Services – Sony’s purpose is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology.
For more information, please visit https://www.sony.com/en/.
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“FavoriteSpace” is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Group Corporation or its affiliates.
Source: Sony Group Corporation
