Lucha Canaria videogame prototype for hotel entertainment that improves knowledge of local culture

About the project

This project has been developed by the Cluster within the framework of an Innovative Business Association (AEI), with public funding aimed at driving technological innovation in the Canary Islands tourism sector.

The main goal is to develop a prototype of a Lucha Canaria videogame in virtual reality (VR), designed specifically for integration into hotel entertainment. This initiative seeks to bring Canarian culture closer to tourists and visitors through an immersive, interactive and educational experience, helping to spread the islands' intangible cultural heritage.

Lucha Canaria, one of the most representative sporting traditions of the archipelago, is the central theme of the project. Through emerging technologies such as virtual reality, the videogame lets users experience this discipline in a safe, dynamic and participatory way, combining entertainment and cultural learning.

The project responds to the need for innovation in the tourism sector, in a context where differentiating the offer and integrating authentic experiences are key competitiveness factors. In this regard, the use of immersive technologies positions tourism establishments as smart-tourism spaces, able to offer added value to their visitors.

The prototype has been developed in collaboration with experts in videogames, 3D animation and virtual reality, together with specialists in Canarian culture, ensuring the technical and cultural fidelity of the content. The project also incorporates validation by Lucha Canaria experts to guarantee the authenticity of the movements, techniques and representations in the videogame.

The videogame includes training, competition and local 1-vs-1 multiplayer modes, as well as character customisation systems and highly detailed virtual environments that recreate traditional Canarian terreros (wrestling arenas). The experience runs on state-of-the-art virtual reality devices, offering the user full immersion.

As part of the validation process, tests will be carried out in partner hotel establishments to assess the user experience, the cultural impact and the feasibility of the implementation model in the tourism sector.

This project contributes directly to the digitalisation of tourism, the preservation of Canarian cultural heritage and the creation of new, innovative tourism experiences, aligned with the smart specialisation strategies (RIS3 Canarias).