Sorare Launches AR-Equipped 3D Digital Football Player Cards

Web3 fantasy sports platform Sorare has announced the launch of 3D digital football player cards with integrated augmented reality (AR) capabilities.

“By making these cards 3D, with an AR feature, we want to bring more emotion in our cards and make them more desirable for all sports fans,” a spokesperson for Sorare told Decrypt.

Sorare Managers will be able to interact with their 3D cards via the SoRare App in their real-world surroundings, whether watching games in a stadium or with friends at home. 

The inaugural auction of the cards kicks off on the Sorare marketplace starting September 13, with the first line-up featuring players from the English Premier League including Erling Haaland, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka. 

These 3D AR cards are set to become standard for Sorare’s 2023/24 season. 

“We want to bridge the gap between online and physical sports fandom to better serve our community of fans,” Sorare co-founder and CTO Adrien Montfort said in a press release shared with Decrypt. 

“We are delighted to be launching new cards, new designs, and new features to mark the new football season, so Sorare Managers can own cards that feel special, and interact with and show them off to the world,” he added. “This is the latest step in our long-term strategy to build a generational product that combines innovative technology and cutting-edge design to transform the sports fan experience.”

A global scavenger hunt

The French company also launched a global Scavenger Hunt this Tuesday, spread across three cities. The company is offering a “once-in-a-lifetime trip” to the winner.

“This treasure awaits in an Ethereum wallet, where users will have to unmask a set of hidden words that unlocks a key to the wallet,” a spokesperson for Sorare told Decrypt.

Over the next seven days, Sorare will release teaser videos containing several clues. The first one, shot in London, was published this Tuesday on Sorare’s social media platforms.

The launch and scavenger hunt form part of Sorare’s bid to appeal to a wider audience of sports fans who aren’t familiar with crypto, coming just a few weeks after the launch of an in-game cash wallet that allows players to buy and sell cards with fiat money. 

Launched in 2018 by Nicolas Julia and Adrien Montfort, Sorare is a fantasy sports gaming platform and marketplace where users can buy, sell, and interact with licensed digital player cards.

To date, it has garnered a user base of over 5 million across 180 countries and formed partnerships with various leagues and clubs. Financially, the company is valued at $4.3 billion and recently secured a $680 million Series B funding round.