This wandmaker’s going the whole hog, warts and all

Meet the young wizards trying to put Garrick Ollivander out of business

Georgina Brisby

Thanks to the young entrepreneurs behind Maguss Wand, fantasy is becoming reality at the flick of a wrist for fans of make believe.

The idea is wizard
Founded by Slovakian software developer Ondrej Tokar, the Copenhagen-based company has developed a hand-held interactive wand modelled on the same principles as Harry Potter’s that enables users to duel and play games with one another.

Tokar is inspired by the popularity of Danish groups like Rollespillefabrikken, which since its foundation in 2005 has gone on to acquire 1,000 members. Together with LARPing (live action role playing) organisation Liveform in Poland, it is responsible for setting up the College of Wizardry in Czocha, Poland.
Yes, one actually exists!

Tokar is confident he has a new concept that the gaming arena – specifically fans of the Hogwarts universe, LARPers, gamers and kids – will embrace.
“I wanted to make a game that has all the elements of a normal computer game, which you need to move your body to play,” he explained to the Weekly Post.

Currently on Kickstarter
Maguss Wand is currently seeking further funding via Danish Kickstarter, where since August 5 it has received 89,453kr from 80 backers out of its target of 450,000 kroner by September 14.

It sounds like the bid could go down to the wire – failure to hit your target on the platform results in no funds.

Should it be successful, Tokar is confident the products will be in shops in time for Christmas.

However, he has a Plan B, although it will be a setback. “I will have to first build a completely working Beta version,” he revealed. “And then look for investors again”.

A kind of deathly hallows
The wand, which comes in either plastic or wood, is used in conjunction with a mobile app that enables gamers to experience the world of witchcraft and wizardry by casting spells and fighting duels with other wand users.

Spells are cast by performing specific motions with the wand whilst aiming at an opponent. The motion triggers an infrared signal, which is then mirrored by a receiver that takes the form of a coat of arms worn by the wizard.

Received signals are sent as data and processed by the servers at Maguss Wand before being sent back to the user’s smartphone where the results of the duel are displayed.

The company describes the unity of its three components – the wand, the receiver and the app – as “pure magic”. It’s a bit like the Deathly Hallows, you could say.

It remains to see whether potential investors and users will be as won over as they were by JK Rowling’s creation.

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