The scent of a game

The world of gaming has introduced a new feature that allows players to sniff their way through games. Imagine playing a game like The Last of Us, and then suddenly being struck with a pungent pine aroma as you walk through a hilly or forested area. Thanks to the recently launched Future Immersive Entertainment Concept (FIEC) that features a huge, room-sized setup designed primarily to widen boundaries for a more realistic and immersive gaming experience.

A Deeper Dive

The FEIC tech setup has more than just smell to it. It seeks to give players an immersive experience by tapping into an overall multisensory experience. Players not only get to feel the games they're playing, they now also ‘smell’ them.

Sameer Desai, a Gaming Industry Consultant says, “Introducing smell was part of the FEIC initiative by Sony recently. This has been showcased in a very controlled setting just for one game.”

Core to this invention, yet to make it to consumers is the incorporation of real-time scent emission in correspondence entwined with gameplay. A detachable fragrance cartridge would emit different smells as a player navigates his way through the many scenarios of the game.

For instance, if one is wandering through a forest,

you might just be wafted in by a whiff of fresh pine. However, this could also possibly backfire, if one were playing a Call of Duty, and one were to be hit by sudden bursts of gunpowder.

Immersive Experiences

Dhananjay Bhosale, a tech creator from Mumbai shares his experience as a part of the tech world. He opines that adding the sense of smell could take gaming to a whole new level. “Imagine playing a survival game and being able to smell rain-soaked forests or feeling the tension in a racing game with the scent of burning rubber as you drift around a corner,” he says.

Such experiences perhaps give the user a more lively, vivid and emotionally appealing aura. One that has its effects lingering even post-playing. Sameer opines that adding the ability to smell while an innovative venture may not do much to enhance immersion. He quips, “Gaming is an interactive medium already. One that engages your visual, touch and auditory senses so smell would become just another sense to engage with.”

Gamers Talk

Tanay Iyer, Founder and Lead Facilitator at Gamesage and an avid gamer, shares his experience with the gigantic and immersive world of gaming. Tanay says, “With new technology like this, games are trying to bring newer immersive experiences.” Implying that an addition of smell would further serve as a boost in that direction. Sharing insights on whether such a move is a desirable one, Tanay opines that it all depends on how such a feature is implemented.

He explains, “While not every game would need such an experience, some games would benefit from it.” While casual gamers may think of it as an ‘unnecessary’ add-on, some enthusiasts may simply fall in love more with their gaming consoles and games.

The big challenge is how consistent and seamless the experience of scent will be. Users may not want the lingering scents from previous scenes as they move ahead in the game. Tanay feels the implementation itself could be challenging and offered only to premium gaming devices. “I fail to see it having mass appeal, but it would certainly have niche appeal in specific cases,” he says.

A Far-Stretch

Gamers and those hit by the CES version of one game are all waiting to “sniff” this immersive experience. Sameer opines that such a feature could be a far stretch. “Sony had to create a cubical structure with screens inside and other tech, for the demonstration at CES to be held.”

Implying that such a setup was a controlled one, he says, ‘I am not sure whether it would translate to a home setup in its current iteration.” However, Sameer speaks of how subscription and cloud gaming services that allow access to games across various display screens are on the rise. Suggesting that this may be a ‘Gaming Revolution’.

Since these games are cloud-powdered, you don’t necessarily need to own expensive and powerful hardware. When gaming becomes device-agnostic it would remove barriers for others to enter in, pushing it a notch up and more.

Game On

Gaming with its many facets is at an all-time high, despite the high volatility in the gaming industry with studio closures and other mass layoffs. Such additions of immersive blasts and bursts have made it clear: Gaming is here to stay and thrive! Tanay optimistically says, “While it may still be nascent, we are looking at an optimistic future for gaming in India.” While netizens have put forth mixed reactions about the new feature, only time will tell if people embrace the ‘scent’ of a game or pinch their noses and stub the joysticks!

While not every game would need such an experience, some games would definitely benefit from it”
— Tanay Iyer, Founder & Lead Facilitator, Gamesage

Imagine playing a survival game and being able to smell rain-soaked forests or feeling the tension in a racing game with the scent of burning rubber as you drift around a corner?”

— Dhananjay Bhosale,Tech Creator