Burnt rubber and gunshots aren't the most pleasant smells, but they may be the most common smells in action games. At least this is true for GameScent. GameScent is a new device that aims to make gaming more immersive by adding scent to the equation.
GameScent, which went out of service late last month with little fanfare and some guffaws, uses an adapter and an app on your phone to capture audio while you play. Those audio cues are then fed into the company's “revolutionary AI,” which triggers specific smells.
This is a hexagonal device that is compatible with most consoles, PCs, and virtual reality setups, and is built to hold six different aromas at once. At launch, these odors are called gunshots, explosions, forests, storms, racing cars, clean air, etc., and are probably the most important because they aim to neutralize any lingering odors.
“We feel like we're adding a missing link to the game: the use of the sense of smell,” says GameScent President Casey Bunce. The company's upcoming scents include oceans, sports arenas, and, perhaps troublingly, blood.
According to Bunce, the device's launch scent, which I would argue isn't the most fragrantly pleasant lineup, was determined primarily based on requests from gamers. They wanted it to smell like an action game or a horror game, so it had all the explosions and gore.
Courtesy of Gamecent
Those smells are strong.During his GameScent demo at this week's Game Developers Conference, the device far cry 6, dutifully spewing out the smell of carnage and burning rubber. The timer is set for him to 2 minutes, so the room doesn't completely fog up every time he gets into a gunfight. However, it is better to place the unit far away from the gaming table rather than near it. Mild options like Woods are great in a Febreze-like sense, but if you're sensitive to smells like me, just sniffing your car a few times can give you a headache.
GameScent's creators say they hope to release 30 to 40 more scents over the next year, allowing players to easily customize the scents they want for their experience.
The company's products are primarily made of essential oils and are easily available over the counter. For example, when I asked how I could prevent my own lavender oil from being washed away, a GameScent rep said: You see, if it gets clogged, all you have to do is take it out and rinse it off with water. ” To prevent essential oil enthusiasts from using their own scents, the company plans to collaborate with the community through an “Insider Club” that will consider feedback.
That being said, GameScent does not intend to meet the demands of all users. “We get a lot of X-rated requests,” Vance says. “That's a very strange request.”
