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Snapchat’s New AR Game Lets Users Skip the Week-Long Wait for the New Air Jordans
Snapchat has launched an augmented reality game offering early access to Nike’s Air Jordan 11 “Legend Blue” sneakers.
According to Footwear News, the game, available through November 29, requires users to complete four AR missions that simulate the traditional sneaker release experience. Players progress through virtual challenges, including joining a line, conversing with other sneaker enthusiasts, retrieving a basketball, and assisting a veteran collector.
Upon completion, successful players receive access to purchase the sneakers on December 6, one week before the general release date of December 13. The shoes will retail for $230 through Nike’s Snkrs app and select retailers.
“Snapchat is transforming how sneakerheads experience the culture of ‘drops’ with our innovative AR Lenses,” Snap Inc. Americas VP Sharon Silverstein said in a statement, adding that the AR experience aims to combine nostalgia with modern technology and engage dedicated sneaker collectors.
Foot Locker also recently launched a creator platform that enables qualified influencers to create customized digital storefronts for U.S. audiences.
The “Legend Blue” colorway, originally known as “Columbia Blue,” first appeared in 1996 when Michael Jordan wore them during that year’s NBA All-Star Game. The design references Jordan’s University of North Carolina connection, matching the color of the Tar Heels shorts he famously wore under his Chicago Bulls uniform. The model has seen only two previous rereleases, in 2001 and 2014.
The release has already generated significant attention, as evidenced by a recent law enforcement operation in California. Police recovered $200,000 worth of allegedly stolen “Legend Blue” sneakers from a U-Haul truck, leading to seven arrests.