Project Monarch was an experiment with interactive livestreaming on a giant screen in Times Square.

Genvid, the leader in interactive livestreaming, in cooperation with Intel, Outfront Media and Streamline Media Group, earlier this month conducted an ambitious live public test of “Project Monarch,” a hybrid digital billboard/mobile game prototype featuring a groundbreaking combination of Intel’s Smart Edge technology and Genvid’s interactive livestreaming solution.

The successful two-day test was held September 8 and 9 on the Mega Screen located at 1500 Broadway and West 43rd Street in Manhattan, and utilized a custom adaptation of Streamline’s game Bake ‘n Switch to highlight the potential for a new kind of “mobile crowd gaming.”

Anyone visiting the site was able to join as an interactive spectator using their own phone by simply scanning a QR code displayed on the Mega Screen to access the interactive stream via a nearby 5G-connected hotspot (courtesy of private network provider Sky Packets). No software download or installation was needed to instantly participate. In a larger-scale deployment, as many as 750,000 concurrent users could be participating in the same immersive experience simultaneously.

“Interactivity is dominating virtually every kind of media, and this experiment proves that even the most modern digital billboards can be reimagined,” said Jacob Navok, co-founder and CEO at Genvid Technologies. “With our interactive livestream technology and Intel’s advanced 5G network platforms, advertisers and brand sponsors can easily and dynamically provide more engaging, entertaining content that consumers not only remember but even enjoy directly.”

“As 5G private networks enter the mainstream for a variety of businesses, Intel offers a proven and broad portfolio of processors, developer enabling software like Intel Smart Edge, and other complementary technologies to accelerate such deployments,” said Caroline Chan, Intel VP and GM of Network Business Incubator Division. “This collaboration with Genvid at Times Square demonstrates a unique, exciting and interactive billboard experience that highlights a new service that can be tailored for consumers in the retail and gaming markets, and further showcases that the possibilities for creative offerings are limitless.”

“Streamline is continuously working toward projects and partnerships that will advance the gaming industry,” said Alexander Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder of Streamline Media Group. “We believe the digital transformation of business and industry is accelerated best by leveraging video game technology and competencies. Streamline is always ready and able to innovate global consumer experiences with forward thinking partners.”