Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) firm metaio has developed a Symbian-based, first-person AR shooter game. Zombie ShootAR utilizes the camera live-stream for optical tracking and 3D rendering. The free demo version can be downloaded from the Ovi store by NOKIA now.

metaio says that although Zombie ShootAR is an early example of this new category of AR games, it can be seen as a true milestone. Players explore the real world around them through the display of their mobile phone. No matter where they are, in the kitchen or out on the street, all of a sudden, zombies start to crawl out of the ground. But with a “gun” and the targeting radar view there is a chance to stay alive – at least for a while.

metaio CTO Peter Meier says: “This is an important step on our roadmap and a first proof of concept that AR games can really be fun. We want to bring the virtual gaming world to the real world.”

Up until now, mataio’s AR platform, junaio, has only been available on the iPhone, but with the launch of the game, metaio says it is currently evaluating opportunities to making mobile AR browsing, gaming and networking available to Symbian users. The company adds that features such as markerless tracking and game logics developed for the game will feed into the junaio platform – enabling content providers and developers to create interactive concepts at the cutting edge between the real and the virtual world.
There’s a video demo of the game here.