In Philadelphia, Atari's Pong goes big, big, big screen
The Cira Centre, a 437-foot high-rise, sits in the University City section of Philadelphia, not far from the Schuylkill River.听
It is one of the most recognizable features on the Philly skyline. And on April 19 and 24, it will be the site of perhaps the largest game of ever played. According to a press release from Drexel University, in two weeks time, Frank Lee, a Drexel professor聽and co-founder of the Drexel聽Game Design Program, will use LED lighting to turn the聽83,360-square-foot, north-facing wall of the Cira Centre into a gigantic arcade screen.听
Participants, each of whom will hold large, plastic聽arcade-style controllers, will stand hundreds of feet below, on the steps of the nearby聽Philadelphia Art Museum.听
"This is something I鈥檝e been envisioning for quite a while," Lee said in the Drexel press release. "Not only is this something that鈥檚 just fun for anyone who鈥檚 ever played a video game, but it鈥檚 also a uniquely interactive art installation. One of the main goals of this event is to inspire wonder and creativity in anyone who sees it, especially kids."聽
In a separate interview with the Associated Press, Lee the installation a "love letter to the wonders of technology as seen through the eyes of my聽childhood."
It's unclear exactly how participants will be selected, but if you're in the Philly area, it may be worth making your way over to the museum on the 19th and 24th, if only to take in the sights.听
In related news, back in November, Atari celebrated the 40th anniversary of Pong with the release of an OS app called Pong World. The software was the product of the聽Indie Developer Challenge, which amateur and professional developers to re-imagine the old classic. The game received some , but we've played it, and we'd argue it's not half bad 鈥� especially for an app that .听
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