STUDENTS at Coventry College have been given a crash course in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports at the city’s brand-new UK tournament centre in Tile Hill.
Inspired by the Street Fighter video game, HADO is an augmented-reality sport which was created in Japan six years ago.
It is now played in 36 different countries and college students put on Augmented Reality (AR) headsets and armbands to try it out.
The ‘techno sport’ relies on reflexes and tactics, putting players in a visual arena and they compete in teams of three for 80-second rounds, using AR blasts to take ‘health points’ off their opponents.
Players try to dodge these energy blasts while also raising energy shields to protect themselves.
The arena is now open to the public, featuring three full-size HADO courts, a fitness centre and function and changing rooms.
UK HADO founder Jim Sephton said: “The growth of the sport over the last few years has been really exciting, and it’s great that we are now able to launch our first UK Tournament Centre in Coventry.”
Coventry College’s Esports lecturer Gregory Naika-Taylor added: “Our students have had the chance to experience a hugely exciting and rapidly growing sport before most people in the UK, and we are looking forward to exploring educational and extra-curricular links with Jim and the team in the future.”
