Two weeks after filing for bankruptcy protection, Toys R Us is debuting an augmented reality experience it hopes will help reinvigorate its stores and make them destinations for shoppers who might otherwise shop online, USA Today reports.
The AR activities—which plant computer generated images on top of a real world environment—tap into the interest sparked by last year’s Pokemon Go craze. They will go live at 23 Toys R Us stores today and nationwide on Oct. 21.
While the AR experience was being developed months before the company filed for Chapter 11 protection to deal with $5 billion in long-term debt, efforts to make the retailer’s roughly 1,600 stores more interactive will be key to the company’s turnaround, says CEO Dave Brandon.
“We believe that’s going to drive a lot more traffic into our stores which will ultimately put us in a position where we can be more successful at growing our sales and our company,” Brandon says.
