The Application of AR Game Scenarios in Urban Gamification:

Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future

Zixuan Wang

College of Architecture and Landscape of Peking University, Peking University, Beijing, China

Keywords: AR Game Scenarios, Urban Gamification, Location-Based Games, Multi-Stakeholder, Public Participation.

Abstract: Against the backdrop of the accelerating urbanization process and the vigorous development of digital

technologies, urban gamification, as an innovative approach to enhancing urban vitality and enriching

residents' living experiences, has received extensive attention. The rise of Augmented Reality (AR)

technology has brought new opportunities to urban gamification, enabling players to interact with virtual

elements in the real urban environment and creating unique gaming experiences. However, the application of

AR game scenarios in urban gamification is still in the exploratory stage, facing numerous uncertainties and

challenges. This study focuses on the application of AR game scenarios in urban gamification, conducting an

in-depth analysis of its theoretical foundation, practical applications, advantages, challenges, and

development strategies. Using the case analysis method, multiple typical AR game cases are selected for in-

depth dissection, demonstrating the actual performance of AR game scenarios in urban gamification from

different perspectives. The study finds that AR game scenarios have significant advantages in enhancing the

fun of urban spaces, promoting social interaction, and facilitating cultural dissemination, but they also face

many challenges. Based on this, the study proposes targeted development strategies such as increasing

investment in technological innovation, promoting the diversification of game content, and innovating

cooperation and promotion models, with the hope of effectively improving the quality of residents' lives.

1 INTRODUCTION

With the rapid development of urbanization, cities are

actively exploring innovative development models in

the process of pursuing sustainable development and

improving the quality of residents' lives (Bagratuni,

Silberer, Planning, 2025). The integration of the

gamification concept and AR technology has opened

up a new path for urban development. AR games like

"Pokémon GO", relying on AR and LBS technologies,

have attracted global players to capture virtual

Pokémon in the real world, demonstrating the

potential of AR game scenarios in urban gamification.

However, the development in this field is still not

mature at present, with problems such as technical

bottlenecks and insufficient content innovation.

Therefore, in-depth research on its application is of

great significance (Vo, 2024).

Foreign research on AR games started relatively

early and has achieved fruitful results in terms of

technical improvement and user experience

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0505-5794

optimization. Mikael Bagratuni and others, by

studying the impact of different immersive media

formats (such as VR, video, and photos) on user

acceptance (Kounavis, Kasimati & Zamani, 2012),

have deeply explored the mechanism of how

technology affects user experience, providing a

theoretical reference for the technical improvement of

AR games and the optimization of user experience.

Their research methods and the research ideas on

immersion are helpful for improving AR game

technology and enhancing users' immersive

experience in the game. Tony Liao and Lee

Humphreys (Liao & Humphreys, 2015), through the

study of the Layar application, analyzed the practices

of users using AR technology in public spaces and

proposed that users can change their perception and

interaction with space by creating content, which

provides design strategies and ideas for enhancing the

social interactivity of AR games. Domestic research

focuses on innovation by combining local culture

with market demands. Bruno Marques, Jacqueline

Wang, Z.

The Application of AR Game Scenarios in Urban Gamiﬁcation: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future.

DOI: 10.5220/0013680400004670

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Data Science and Engineering (ICDSE 2025), pages 161-167

ISBN: 978-989-758-765-8

161

McIntosh, and Hannah Carson (Marques, McIntosh

& Carson, 2019), taking the Maori culture in New

Zealand as an example, combined local culture with

AR technology and displayed the stories and values

of Maori culture through AR, enriching the cultural

connotations of AR applications. A similar idea can

be applied to AR games by integrating traditional

festival culture into them to enrich the cultural

connotations of the games. However, existing

research still has deficiencies in aspects such as

technical stability and in-depth exploration of game

content. For example, some studies have not fully

considered the stability of AR technology in complex

environments, and in terms of game content, they

have failed to deeply explore the in-depth integration

of cultural elements and game play.

This study deeply analyzes the application of AR

game scenarios in urban gamification from multiple

dimensions. Theoretically, it expands the theories of

urban development and gamification, and in practice,

it provides innovative ideas for urban planning,

cultural inheritance, etc. The study adopts a multi-

dimensional perspective and interdisciplinary

research methods, and combines specific cases to

provide a new perspective and method for research in

this field.

2 THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF

AR GAME SCENES AND

URBAN GAMIFICATION

Deeply explore the theories of AR game scenes and

urban gamification, analyze their concepts,

characteristics, and interrelationships, reveal the

underlying theoretical logic, and provide theoretical

support for the practice and development of this field.

2.1 The Characteristics and

Constituent Elements of AR Game

Scenes

AR game scenes are of great significance in urban

gamification. They possess characteristics such as

immersion and interactivity, and are composed of

elements like geographical space, visual effects, and

task plots. These elements influence the gaming

experience, and thus, it is of great importance to

analyze them.

2.1.1 Immersion and interactivity

AR technology skillfully overlays virtual information

onto the real world, creating a strong sense of

immersion for players. Players can interact with

virtual elements naturally in the real environment,

and this experience of blending the virtual and the real

blurs the boundaries between games and reality

(Wang, 2025). Take playing an AR puzzle game in an

urban park as an example. Players search for hidden

virtual props based on the clues in the real scene, as if

they were in a mysterious adventure world. "Context-

aware gaming" further enhances this immersion and

interaction. The game adjusts in real-time according

to the environment where the player is located. For

instance, when a player walks to a riverside, the game

plot may unfold around the river, allowing the player

to fully immerse themselves in the game world.

2.1.2 Elements of Scene Construction

Geographical space serves as the foundation for

constructing AR game scenes. Real - world spaces in

cities, such as streets, buildings, and parks, provide a

rich and diverse backdrop for games. Visual effects

create a unique gaming atmosphere through the

design of exquisite virtual elements, like fantastical

character images and dazzling special effects. The

task plot is the core that guides players to participate

in the game. By setting interesting task goals, such as

searching for treasures or completing challenges, it

increases the fun and challenge of the game. In

"context - aware games", these elements are

dynamically adjusted according to the player's real -

time location and environmental changes, making

every gaming experience fresh for the player.

2.2 The Connotation and Development

Context of Urban Gamification

Urban gamification integrates game elements into

urban life, aiming to enhance residents' experiences

and urban vitality. It has evolved from simple offline

forms to online - offline integration and is moving

towards intelligence and personalization.

2.2.1 The Concept Definition of Urban

Gamification

Urban gamification involves integrating game

elements and mechanisms into all aspects of urban

life. It stimulates residents' enthusiasm for

participating in urban activities in a gaming way, so

as to achieve the goals of improving urban

management and enhancing residents' quality of life.

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For example, in the walking check-in challenge set up

in the city, participants can get points by walking to

designated locations and checking in, and these points

can be exchanged for gifts. This activity integrates the

reward mechanism of games into fitness and urban

exploration, encouraging residents to go out of their

homes. While enhancing their physical fitness, it also

deepens their understanding of the city.

2.2.2 Development History and Trends

Urban gamification originated from simple offline

interactive games and gradually transformed into an

online - offline integration with the development of

technology. In the early days, urban treasure - hunting

activities relied solely on paper maps and clues

(Zhang, 2025). Nowadays, with the help of AR

technology, treasure - hunting games have become

more vivid and interesting. In the future, urban

gamification will develop towards intelligence,

personalization, and socialization. "Context - aware

games" are expected to become an important model.

With the aid of big data and artificial intelligence,

games can provide personalized experiences based on

players' interests and behavior habits, and at the same

time, further enhance social interactions among

players.

2.3 The Intrinsic Relationship between

AR Game Scenes and Urban

Gamification

AR game scenes are closely linked to urban

gamification. The former injects vitality into the latter

with its unique experiences, while the latter provides

a broad application space for the former. The two

aspects promote each other and reshape the urban life

experience.

2.3.1 The Integration of Technology and

Experience

AR technology provides powerful technical support

for urban gamification, enabling players to

experience the wonderful fun of the intertwining of

the virtual and the real in real-world scenes. Relying

on AR technology, "context-aware games" make the

interaction between players and the urban

environment more natural and smooth, greatly

enriching the gaming experience (Zhang, 2025). For

example, in the AR historical reenactment game

carried out in the historical and cultural blocks,

players can see ancient figures shuttling through the

real streets through their mobile phones, interact with

them and learn about historical stories, as if they have

traveled through time and space. This unique

experience deepens players' understanding and

perception of the urban history and culture.

2.3.2 The Reutilization of Urban Space

AR game scenes can tap the potential of idle urban

spaces, transforming abandoned factories, old

neighborhoods and other places into interesting

gaming venues. Under the multi-party public

participation model, players can unleash their

creativity and create AR scenes, further enriching the

gamified content of urban spaces. For instance, an

abandoned factory can be converted into an AR

adventure game site. Players can explore mysterious

ruins and solve puzzles there. This not only injects

new vitality into the abandoned space but also

enhances the attractiveness and utilization value of

the urban space.

2.3.3 The Collection and Utilization of

Urban Information

In AR game scenes, players' gaming behaviors will

generate a large amount of data, such as location

information and interaction records. These data can

be used to analyze the usage of urban spaces,

residents' points of interest and behavior patterns,

providing a basis for urban planning and management

and contributing to the construction of smart cities.

For example, by analyzing the areas where players are

frequently active in AR games, urban managers can

find out which public spaces are more popular, and

then optimize the layout of urban public facilities.

3 ANALYSIS OF APPLICATION

EXAMPLES OF AR GAME

SCENES IN URBAN

GAMIFICATION

This part will conduct an in - depth analysis and

discussion on the application examples of some

existing AR game scenes in urban gamification in

China from multiple dimensions such as game design,

user experience, and urban space utilization, as well

as the characteristics of each game.

3.1 "Daydreplay and Sceneam" AR

Social Game

3.1.1 Gameplay and Scene Design

"Daydream" integrates AR and LBS technologies.

Players can discover various virtual elements, such as

The Application of AR Game Scenarios in Urban Gamiﬁcation: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future

163

cute little animals and mysterious treasures, by

scanning the real - world environment through their

mobile phone cameras. The game scenes are

ingeniously integrated into the natural and cultural

landscapes of the city. For example, a virtual music

stage may appear in a city square, and players can

interact around it to experience the charm of a virtual

performance. Under the concept of "context - aware

games", the scenes change according to time and

weather. At night, star - themed virtual elements may

appear in the square, and on rainy days, there will be

different interactive scenes, such as virtual umbrellas

and rain boots props.

3.1.2 Influence on Urban Social and Leisure

Life

This game has greatly promoted social interaction

among players. Players meet new friends during the

process of exploring virtual elements and share the

fun and discoveries in the game together. Players can

also create social activity scenes through multi - party

public participation, such as hosting virtual parties

and concerts, which enriches urban leisure life and

enhances community cohesion. For instance, players

can jointly plan a virtual music festival in the game,

each playing different roles and inviting other players

to participate. This kind of interaction breaks down

the social barriers in real life.

3.2 "Taoyang Encounter・Urban Hide

- and - Seek"

3.2.1 Game Mechanism and Cultural

Integration

This game combines the traditional hide - and - seek

gameplay with urban exploration and incorporates

ceramic cultural elements. Players search for hidden

ceramic elements in the city, such as ceramic

fragments and ceramic handicrafts. After finding

them, they can unlock corresponding storylines and

tasks, and learn about ceramic production techniques,

historical stories, etc. Under the "context - aware

game" mode, the tasks and storylines are adjusted

according to the ceramic cultural attractions where

the players are located. Near a ceramic museum,

players may trigger tasks related to the museum

exhibits and gain a deeper understanding of the

cultural connotations behind the exhibits.

3.2.2 Player Experience and Urban

Cultural Dissemination

Players gain an in - depth understanding of ceramic

culture during the game. The spread of the game has

also attracted more tourists to pay attention to the

city's ceramic culture. Players share cultural

knowledge and stories through multi - party public

participation, enriching the cultural connotation of the

game and promoting the inheritance and

dissemination of urban culture. Many players, after

completing the game tasks, develop a strong interest

in ceramic culture, and will further visit ceramic

factories and learn ceramic production, becoming

disseminators of the city's ceramic culture.

3.3 Shanghai Global Harbor

Live - Action CS Game

3.3.1 Technical Application and Gaming

Experience

The Shanghai Global Harbor live - action CS game

uses AR and MR technologies. Players engage in

battles in the real - world space of the shopping mall,

with virtual weapons and enemies presented

realistically, bringing an immersive combat

experience. With the support of the "context - aware

game", the scene changes with the layout and

activities of the shopping mall. When the shopping

mall holds promotional activities, the game props are

associated with the promotional products. Players can

obtain virtual coupons by completing specific tasks,

increasing the fun and challenge of the game.

3.3.2 The Promotion of Urban Commerce

and Entertainment

The game has attracted a large number of players to

the shopping mall, increasing the passenger flow and

promoting consumption within the mall. Players

design competitive scenes and rules through multi -

party public participation, enriching the

entertainment content of the shopping mall and

injecting new vitality into the development of urban

commerce and entertainment. For example, the

unique competitive scenes designed by players have

attracted more people to come and experience, which

not only enhances the popularity of the shopping mall

but also drives consumption in surrounding catering,

shopping, and other areas.

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4 ADVANTAGES AND

CHALLENGES OF AR GAME

SCENES IN THE

APPLICATION OF URBAN

GAMIFICATION

AR game scenes bring innovative changes to urban

gamification, showing significant advantages in

aspects such as expanding experiences and exploring

urban spaces. Meanwhile, they also face challenges at

the technical and privacy levels, which urgently need

to be analyzed.

4.1 Advantage Analysis

Firstly, it can enhance the fun and attractiveness of

urban spaces. AR game scenes add novel elements to

urban spaces. "Context - aware games" make every

corner of the city a potential stage for games,

enhancing the fun and attractiveness of urban spaces

and attracting residents and tourists to participate. An

ordinary urban street can be transformed into a

fantastical adventure land due to the setting of AR

game scenes, stimulating people's desire to explore.

At the same time, it can promote social interaction

and community building. AR games break the single-

player mode of traditional games and encourage

interaction and cooperation among players. Under the

multi-party public participation mode, players jointly

create AR scenes, which promotes communication

and cooperation among community members and

enhances community cohesion. In the game, players

complete tasks together and help each other, and this

kind of interaction extends to real life, enhancing the

relationship between neighbors (Liu, Xu, 2020).

It can also promote the dissemination and

inheritance of urban culture. AR game scenes

integrate urban cultural elements into the games, and

players can imperceptibly understand and inherit

urban culture during the game. The AR scenes created

by players can also share their personal understanding

and perception of urban culture with more people,

promoting the dissemination of urban culture. For

example, in an AR game with the city's history as the

background, players can learn about historical events

and figures by completing tasks. This way of cultural

dissemination is more vivid and interesting than

traditional methods and is more easily accepted by the

public.

Finally, it enables urban information collection.

AR game scenes can collect a large amount of data on

player behavior and the use of urban spaces. These

data can be used to optimize urban planning, improve

the quality of public services, and contribute to the

construction of smart cities. By analyzing the

behavior data of players in AR games, urban

managers can understand which areas need to

improve public facilities and which areas need to

optimize traffic flow.

4.2 Challenge Analysis

Firstly, there are technical bottlenecks and limitations.

AR technology still has deficiencies in image

recognition, positioning accuracy, and device

performance. In complex environments, image

recognition may make mistakes, and positioning

accuracy affects the gaming experience. Some

devices cannot run AR games smoothly. "Context -

aware games" have higher requirements for the real -

time performance and adaptability of technology, and

the current technical level is still difficult to fully

meet these requirements. Take Vision Pro as an

example. Although it has improved the AR

experience to a certain extent, it still faces problems

such as high cost and adaptability, which limit its

wide application in AR games.

There are also great limiting conditions in terms

of market competition and user acceptance. The AR

game market is highly competitive, and various game

products emerge in an endless stream. Some users

have a low awareness and acceptance of AR games,

believing that they are complex to operate or interfere

with real life. Economic factors also affect user

acceptance. The costs of purchasing devices and data

traffic increase the user cost. When the cost is reduced,

the popularization of AR games may embrace new

opportunities, but currently, the problems of market

competition and user education still need to be solved.

In terms of privacy and security issues, AR games

may collect players' location, personal information,

etc. during operation, and there is a risk of privacy

leakage. Players may ignore real - world safety when

focusing on the game, such as playing games while

walking on the road and causing traffic accidents.

Under the multi - party public participation mode, it

is difficult to review and manage the content of the

AR scenes created by players, and it is necessary to

ensure that the content is legal and safe.

In the philosophical category, the discussion on

the existence of virtual scenes is still inconclusive.

There are controversies over whether virtual scenes

and virtual landscapes should exist and whether

people should live in virtual environments. Some

people worry that excessive immersion in the virtual

environment will affect social interaction and

physical and mental health in real life, which makes

The Application of AR Game Scenarios in Urban Gamiﬁcation: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future

165

the development of virtual landscapes in AR games

face doubts and obstacles.

5 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

AND PROSPECT OUTLOOK OF

AR GAME SCENES IN URBAN

GAMIFICATION

5.1 Discussion on Development

Strategies

Firstly, technological innovation and optimization are

the first step in development. Increase investment in

the research and development of AR technology,

develop an intelligent self - adaptive technology

system, and improve the performance of key

technologies such as image recognition and

positioning accuracy. Strengthen the integration with

other technologies, such as artificial intelligence and

big data, to enhance the intelligence level of AR

games and improve the user experience. For example,

use artificial intelligence to optimize the image

recognition algorithm to make the integration of

virtual elements and real - world scenes more natural;

use big data to analyze player behavior and provide

more personalized game content for players.

In terms of content, innovation and diversification

are needed. It is necessary to deeply explore the

historical, cultural, natural and other resources of the

city and develop game content with local

characteristics and cultural connotations. In addition

to traditional adventure and competitive games,

diversified game types such as education, popular

science, and cultural experience can also be

developed to meet the needs of different user groups.

An AR popular science game with the city's natural

ecology as the theme can be launched, allowing

players to learn about animal and plant knowledge in

the game and enhance their environmental protection

awareness.

Innovation is required in the cooperation and

promotion model. Strengthen the cooperation among

game developers, urban managers, enterprises, etc.

Urban managers provide policy support and venue

resources, enterprises provide funds and market

promotion channels, and game developers focus on

technology research and development and game

production. Innovate the promotion model, use

various channels such as social media and offline

activities for publicity, establish a user feedback

mechanism, and optimize the game products

according to user opinions. For example, game

developers cooperate with urban tourism departments

to hold AR game experience activities at tourist

attractions to attract tourists to participate and

promote urban tourism resources at the same time

(Zhou, 2016).

Finally, public participation in virtual scene

construction should be allowed, and the virtual

concept and professional scope should be improved.

Establish a user public platform to allow players to

freely build their personal game virtual environments

and spaces to form "individual worlds". Promote the

exchange and sharing of "virtual worlds" among

players, and promote the development of "multiple

virtual worlds", further enriching the content and

gameplay of AR games. Players can share the virtual

scenes they designed with other players, experience

different game worlds, and increase the fun and

creativity of the game.

5.2 Prospect Outlook

Firstly, there are potential impacts on urban

development. The widespread application of AR

game scenes will promote urban economic

development and drive the prosperity of related

industries. In terms of culture, it promotes the

inheritance and innovation of urban culture and

enhances the soft power of urban culture. At the

social level, it enhances residents' sense of

community belonging and social interaction, and

promotes the harmonious development of the city.

The "context - aware games" and multi - party public

participation mode will further stimulate the vitality

and creativity of the city.

The future development of AR game scenes will

embrace mainstream trends. In the future, the

application of AR game scenes in urban gamification

will be more widespread and in - depth. "Context -

aware games" will become the mainstream mode, and

the multi - party public participation mechanism will

be continuously improved. AR games will be deeply

integrated with urban intelligent transportation, smart

city construction and other fields, bringing more

possibilities for urban development. The existence of

"multiple worlds" will provide players with a more

diverse and rich gaming experience.

Finally, it can promote the development of a smart

city with a new mode. In the AR scene, urban

information collection and user feedback are more

convenient, providing more accurate data support for

the construction of a smart city. The smart city will

embrace a 3.0 mode, urban management will be more

intelligent, the city will become a user object

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managed by citizens themselves, and the sustainable

development of the city will be realized (Lei, 2018).

6 CONCLUSIONS

This research comprehensively analyzes the

application of AR game scenes in urban gamification,

clarifies its theoretical connotation and internal

relationship. Through case analysis, it demonstrates

the application effect, expounds on the advantages

and challenges, and proposes corresponding

development strategies. The "context - aware games"

and multi - party public participation mode bring new

opportunities for urban gamification and are of great

significance for urban development.

This research has deficiencies in case analysis and

technical research. In the future, the scope of cases

should be expanded, and the research on different

types of AR game scenes in different cities should be

strengthened. Continuously track the development of

AR technology, and deeply study the impact of

technology on user experience and urban

development, so as to provide more complete

theoretical support and practical guidance for the

application of AR game scenes in urban gamification.

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