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Harpercollins The Hobbit

HarperCollins and Aardman Digital release official companion app for 'The Hobbit'

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By Gillian West, Social media manager

December 17, 2013 | 2 min read

HarperCollins has unveiled ‘The Hobbit: Official Visual Companion App’ designed to accompany the film ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ as part of its ongoing product strategy to create ‘living and breathing’ experiences for consumers.

Produced in association with Warner Bros., and developed by Aardman Digital, the app builds on the publisher’s relationship with Tolkien fans and aims to engage with book and film fans on a digital and interactive platform.

“This is the first step toward HarperCollins' vision for persistent storytelling worlds that will act as a hub for fans of The Hobbit worldwide. This exciting new experience brings The Hobbit universe alive and, will over time, develop as a platform for discovering the world of Middle-earth,” said Nick Perrett, group director of strategy and digital at HarperCollins.

Aardman Digital creative director, Jake Manion, added: “We really believe that the more fans understand the huge world that Tolkien created, the more enjoyable the films and books become, and that’s exactly what we hope this fantastic app will achieve.”

The app – which includes details and images of the characters and a 3D map – has been created using the Unity engine, more typically used by game developers than book publishers. Interactive trivia enables fans to unlock additional features and the app will be updated with a rolling schedule of content for the next two years, including cast interviews, content for younger users and immersive Middle-earth experiences.

Harpercollins The Hobbit

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