Drop Childish Gambino into your life using Pixel's Playground

When Google launched the Pixel 3, it also introduced Playground, and interactive AR experience found in the Pixel camera. The application allows you to place AR stickers, also known as Playmoji, around your environment, which interact with the world as if they were really there. Google initially debuted the experience with characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and Stranger Things, but now it’s about to introduce a new Playmoji a lot of people will get pretty excited about.

Starting today, you’ll be able to drop Childish Gambino into your life using augmented reality on Pixel. Gambino’s Playmoji will dance to three of his most popular songs, including “Redbone,” “Summertime Magic,” and “This is America”. Google says it worked with Gambino and his choreographer to make sure his dance moves are as true to life as possible, so the experience should be quite familiar if you’re a fan of Gambino’s videos. Gambino’s Playmoji also works in selfie mode, and he can respond to different facial expressions thanks to Google’s machine learning tech.

“By using ARCore’s motion tracking, light estimation, and ability to understand the real world, his Playmoji looks and feels lifelike, whether he’s in front of you or in a selfie next to you,” Google said.

Google actually teased the Childish Gambino sticker all the way back at the Pixel 3 launch in October. Here’s an example of the Playmoji in action (the background is real world footage).

Google is kicking off the Playmoji’s release with a dance competition, inviting Pixel users to use the #pixeldanceoff hashtag when sharing videos with the new Playmoji. Though there is no actual prize for this dance challenge, it should be fun seeing how many people bust out moves with the AR rendition of Childish Gambino.

Gambino’s Playmoji is available now through the Pixel camera app on Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2XL, Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL, so let us know how the experience is if you decide to use it.