Two weeks after filing for bankruptcy protection, Toys ‘R’ Us is debuting an augmented reality (AR) experience that it hopes will help reinvigorate its stores and make them destinations for shoppers who might otherwise choose to shop online, USA Today reported today. The AR activities — which plant computer generated images on top of a real world environment — tap into the interest sparked by the Pokemon Go craze last year. They will go live at 23 Toys ‘R’ Us stores today and then 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.
