Aotea Stories
Challenge
Cities never stand still. Skyscrapers rise, old buildings fall, and with them entire chapters of history risk being forgotten. Today, Aotea Square is the heart of Auckland city, but in 1901 it was alive with markets, hotels, a bustling bathhouse, and cobblers shaping the city’s character. The challenge was how to pull the past out of the history books and make it something people could step into.
Solution
Geo AR Games created Aotea Stories, a location-based AR adventure that turns Aotea Square into a living time machine. Guided by eccentric time traveller Dr Magnus, players are thrown into a crisis where the timeline is breaking apart. To set history right, they explore the square, interact with 3D characters from 1901, hunt for time anomalies, and recover stolen pocket watches. As they move, vanished buildings like the Market, Bathhouse, Hotel, and Cobbler reappear in their original positions, overlaying today’s cityscape.
Positive Impact
Aotea Stories let Aucklanders and visitors see their city in a whole new way. By stepping into 1901, players met characters from the past and saw long-lost buildings rise again on the square. The game made Aotea Square a living stage where the past and present collide, and heritage became something you can see, hear, and almost touch. It showed how AR can revive hidden stories and bring cultural heritage to life where it once stood.
Overview
Cities never stand still. Skyscrapers rise, old buildings fall, and with them entire chapters of history risk being forgotten. Today, Aotea Square is the heart of Auckland city, but in 1901 it was alive with markets, hotels, a bustling bathhouse, and cobblers shaping the city’s character. The challenge was how to pull the past out of the history books and make it something people could step into.
Video Trailer
Geo AR Games created Aotea Stories, a location-based AR adventure that turns Aotea Square into a living time machine. Guided by eccentric time traveller Dr Magnus, players are thrown into a crisis where the timeline is breaking apart. To set history right, they explore the square, interact with 3D characters from 1901, hunt for time anomalies, and recover stolen pocket watches. As they move, vanished buildings like the Market, Bathhouse, Hotel, and Cobbler reappear in their original positions, overlaying today’s cityscape.
