One of the most popular and long-lasting mobile games ever, Candy Crush Saga, commemorates its tenth birthday in New York City with a drone show. On the evening of November 3, up to 500 drones are anticipated to take over the NYC skyline.
The celebrations for Candy Crush Saga's 10th anniversary are supposed to take place close to Battery Park. However, the display won't be there due to New York City's ban on drone use. Notably, drones are not permitted to fly in state parks in New Jersey. Still, Pixis, the business that operates the drones, was granted permission to launch its fleet from the perimeter of Liberty State Park.
However, Gothamist said the proposed show has also drawn much criticism from New York City's lawmakers and bird advocacy groups.
Candy Crush-Themed Drone Display
The display is intended to bring "one of the most beloved mobile games on earth to the world's biggest screen-the sky," according to a news statement from King, the Activision-owned producer of the enormously popular Candy Crush Saga.
The Candy Crush video game fans were invited to secure a position at Battery Park Esplanade by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday to see synchronized drones replicate recognizable Candy Crush components above the Hudson River.
"To mark the occasion, downtown Manhattan will be transformed into a candified carnival where viewers can enjoy this surreal takeover of the New York City Skyline," said Candy Crush (per Yahoo! News).
The drones were visible for a mile around Battery Park for the 10-minute spectacle.
keep your diary free to get a glimpse of me (a drone, by the way) #10YearsOfFun pic.twitter.com/YXdz0d3fwf
— Candy Crush Saga (@CandyCrushSaga) October 25, 2022
The choreography for the drone performance is reportedly being done by Pixis, a business with headquarters in Virginia. The same business was hired to advertise the NBA draft in New York with a drone display earlier this year.
Due to the ban in New York, Thursday's display took off from New Jersey and stayed on land since the airspace over the Hudson River is constrained.
The New Jersey State Parks Department's copy of Pixis' permit obtained by Gizmodo said that there will be 25 individuals operating the drones and taking images on the opposite side of the Hudson.
Even while it will be closer to New Jersey than it would be to any Manhattanites, the drones themselves are designed to mimic recognizable features from the game "to be seen by New Yorkers."
Why New York Bans Drones
Preston Ward, the main pilot for the Texas-based Sky Elements drone firm, said New York is "pretty strict" regarding drone exhibitions.
NYC isn't exactly renowned for being a popular place to go stargazing because of its light pollution, but it's understandable why some city residents are annoyed by floating advertising that effectively turns the sky into a commercialized billboard.
"I think it's outrageous to be spoiling our city's skyline for private profit," state Sen. Brad Hoylman told Gothamist (via The Verge).
Concerns have been raised about how the aerial light display may affect the local wildlife, namely the thousands of migrating birds it may affect. Dustin Partridge, director of conservation and research at NYC Audubon, said in the same The Verge report that The Hudson is a crucial flyway for birds, and fortunately, it has been dark.
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