Mattel has announced a new version of Pictionary with Pictionary Vs. AI, the first-ever board game to integrate AI technology into its classic gameplay.
In this version, all players draw and the AI guesses, taking the drawing game that fans know and love to new heights.
“Mattel is excited to introduce Pictionary Vs. AI, bringing technological advancement to create new and exciting challenges to fans who love the classic game,” said Sven Gerjets, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Mattel. “At Mattel, we create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. There are many play patterns to explore around new tech to enhance engagement with physical toys.”
Having the AI guess the drawing correctly isn’t the only way to get ahead. Players also earn points by predicting whether the AI will guess other players’ sketches correctly. Pictionary Vs. AI’s innovative gameplay further proves that Pictionary is less about being a perfect artist and more about the often hilarious results. The fun can be amplified by turning on challenge rounds within the web app; players are then asked to draw with their eyes closed or using no hands, among other challenges.
“Games from across the Mattel portfolio have been bringing families together for more than 50 years – and we’re proud that the decades-long adoration that fans have for our products is matched by the innovation constantly available in our line-up of games,” said Ray Adler, vice president and global head of Games, Mattel. “Pictionary Vs. AI continues to build upon our impressive portfolio by offering a new, modern way that fans can engage with the brand, combined with the hilarious quickdraw gameplay they’ve always loved.”
The connected play integration is simple, using a mobile device to scan a QR code, the AI is launched. To guess player’s drawings, Pictionary Vs. AI leverages Google’s Quick, Draw! artificial intelligence which has been trained with millions of user-submitted drawings. Pictionary Vs. AI pairs this AI data with computer vision to look at and guess the drawings by means of the game’s whiteboard placed in front of a phone.
With fun, safety and trust at the centre of the Mattel Games portfolio, Pictionary Vs. AI has been certified by ESRB (US Entertainment Software Rating Board) Privacy Certified and follows COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance. The game is rated for ages 8+.
UK pre-order will be available this week from Smyths, The Entertainer and Amazon, and the game is expected to hit retail from mid-November, The RRP is just £23.99.
