URBAN FIFA: Augmenting Social Sports with Video Game Elements

We present the design and evaluation of Urban FIFA, which explores the idea of bringing elements from the FIFA video game into a physical setting and how this affects the game experience. The design was realised by taking three core elements from FIFA15 TM; the game setup, the scoreboard and the soundscape, and applying these in a physical indoor football arena. Our evaluation focuses on how the installation altered the structural, social- and performative aspects of the experience, and suggests that implementing simple digital elements can significantly transform the experience of social sports. Moreover, our study suggests several future design opportunities and warrants further research on the effects of augmenting social sports with content and techniques appropriated from video games.