Hotmail releases augmented realty WP and iOS game–Greymail Inboxer

Smart advertising from Hotmail. They’ve released a new free game for Windows phone and iPhone that’s an augmented reality game. This is part of a marketing scheme to remind you of an ongoing campaign about how good Hotmail is at removing greymail (you know, those newsletters and promotions that fill your inbox). Anyway, it’s a free game and you have a radar on the screen. Your camera is enabled and you can see your surroundings. The folder (email icon) falls from the sky and you need to move your phone to get them before they fall. It’s actually pretty fun when you get into it and of course, they throw in some Hotmail tag lines to remind you why they are providing the free game. Oddly, it’s not a Microsoft Studios title. Anyway, here’s the description:

The new augmented reality gaming experience from Hotmail. Virtual emails are falling from the sky in the physical space all around you. Catch and sort as many emails as you can to play this unique and immersive game.

To mark the launch of Hotmail’s great new features to tackle graymail, Graymail Inboxer turns keeping your inbox clear into a game. Graymail is the legitimate but mainly unwanted email that clogs your inbox – newsletters, social updates, special offers. Hotmail’s new tools help you keep your inbox clear – in our game and in reality!

AUGMENTED REALITY Play in the real world with ‘virtual’ emails falling from the sky

SKILL GAME Use quick reactions and spatial awareness to score points by catching and sorting the virtual emails

COLLECT BONUSES Higher Limit: This bonus will increase your unsorted limit to give you a little more breathing space Sweep: Sweeps your unsorted graymail into sorted pile Schedule cleanup: Reduces the amount of graymail falling from the sky for a limited time Flag: Moves your unsorted important email to your sorted pile Golden email: Look out for this and grab it to score a huge bonus

SCORE LEADERBOARD Share your score and see how you compare to other players

BADGES Progress from a Featherweight Inboxer all the way up to Heavyweight, gaining badges at every step

GAME OVER If you let too many emails hit the ground, your inbox will stack up and it’s game over Do you have what it takes to conquer graymail with Hotmail?