America’s Pastime Goes Futuristic With Interactive Audio Game “Full Count Baseball Trivia With Buster Posey”
Stepping up to the plate and pointing to the farthest reaches of the digital ballpark, interactive audio company Ground Control released the first in a series of voice activated games, “Full Count Baseball Trivia with Buster Posey” (www.fullcounttrivia.com). Available for free as an Alexa Skill – as Major League Baseball heads into its post-season – the game will broaden to Google Home and other audio platforms in the coming weeks.
“Full Count Baseball Trivia” taps the well-regarded reputation of San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, a three-time World Series Champion and five-time All-Star, named the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2010 and Most Valuable Player in 2012. Each day the game offers a half-dozen new baseball trivia questions of varying difficulty, and by answering correctly within ten seconds, players can earn points and accrue an “average” to graduate through seven levels – from Rookie to Minor League, Major League to Hall of Fame.
“This unique audio platform is an exciting way to bring the history and game of baseball to life,” says Posey. “The interactivity is a really fun concept that I think fans of baseball will really enjoy, and it was an honor to lend my voice to project. One thing I’ve learned in baseball and in life, teamwork is an essential element to any success, and that certainly proved itself in working with the Ground Control and CAA teams on ‘Full Count Baseball Trivia.'”
Part play-by-play commentators, part base coaches, Buster Posey and an announcer deliver a comedic mix of friendly encouragement and snarky banter. They serve as anchors for a fun and fully immersive sonic environment replete with music, sound effects, crowd reactions and other tomfoolery, a cross between listening to a game on the radio and being in the ballpark. Players can track their daily and all-time ranking against the global community and earn valuable in-game perks and real-world prizes. In contrast with Major League Baseball, “Full Count Baseball Trivia” will run 365 days a year, recognizing seasons and holidays as it rounds the calendar.
Launching as a single-player game, it will soon become multi-player capable thanks to the recently announced Amazon Echo Buttons, set to debut this holiday season, providing a physical way for players to buzz in and interact with the “Full Count Baseball Trivia with Buster Posey” skill.
“Full Count Baseball Trivia with Buster Posey” follows Ground Control’s first interactive audio project, “Biden’s Briefing,” featuring 3 to 15 minute daily segments of news and articles curated by former Vice President Joe Biden, and is the first available in a series of voice activated games that were announced on September 27, including “Sounds Fun with Mike Epps,” “Buzzer Beater Basketball Trivia with Karl-Anthony Towns,” and “Fourth Down Football Trivia with Philip Rivers.” These games will be made available in time for the holidays to coincide with the release of the new Echo Buttons.
About Ground Control
Led by technology entrepreneur Mike Macadaan in partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Ground Control develops voice-activated entertainment experiences for the emerging medium of interactive audio, engaging well-known personalities across entertainment, sports, politics and beyond. With an initial focus on current affairs and interactive games, the company aims to grow into health & wellness, hospitality and other promising categories. Catalyzed by a relationship with Amazon, Ground Control is building a tech platform focused on discoverability, engagement and retention, marrying technology and pop culture to foster deep connections with consumers. Visit the website: www.groundcontrol.ai.
