Award-winning digital entertainment company 30 Ninjas, headed by director-producer Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr & Mrs Smith), have unveiled their latest title - an AR thriller for mobile going by the title of Asset 15, created in partnership with Verizon.

Asset 15 will star actress Amandla Sternberg (The Hunger Games, Dear Evan Hanson) and promises to be an AR-augmented thriller which utilises the tech to superimpose characters and gameplay onto a player’s real-world environment. 30 Ninjas promises that their use of volumetric video will also “bring a new, hyper-realistic look to characters.”

The synopsis of the title reads, “The story follows Flux, a hacker, and her sister Petra, who falls into a sudden coma after testing experimental transcranial glasses created by her employer Helios, a tech company shrouded in mystery.

“Through five riveting chapters, players will hack into Petra’s mind and reconstruct her memories through puzzles brought to life with stunning photo-realistic, 3D holograms.”

Big names, big ambitions

AR tech on mobile has been a natural fit, and had a somewhat turbulent history. Although mega-hit Pokémon Go is arguably the litmus test by which many mobile games are measured, many other companies have struggled to cut through with games utilising the tech. Witcher creators CD Projekt Red for example shuttered their AR title The Witcher: Monster Slayer and developers Spokko after the game failed to gain traction.

However, serious story-driven games have had their place on mobile with AR, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Special Delivery - based on the indie horror series - saw positive reception from players and critics alike. Now 30 Ninjas are pushing the concept forwards with Hollywood talent on board.

The company already boasts a high pedigree, and with many successful commercials and innovative digital experiences under their belt it may be that Asset 15 will prove to be a breakhrough hit for mobile.